The Broken Jinrou
by Shadowflame013
Summary: A dark story of a survivor from Sotoba village. While struggling with his humanity, he was admitted in yokai academy by accident. Despite the obvious reasons, Sora Jin will fight through the various events, while enduring psychological torture from the memories of Sotoba Village.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Requiem of a nightmare.

Hi everyone. Shadowflame here. I've been watching this anime series called Shiki and been thinking of making this crossover with Rosario Vampire. Both series have their emotional moments, but out of all the moments shown, Shiki is the winner. Any who, I don't own both series. They belong to their respective authors.

(Play Shiki OST Requiem)

Fire... Fire was ravaging a village. Several images of bloodcurdling screams appeared quickly. The pale bodies of the people screaming showed eyes of darkness with no light glints. Some of the eyes were glowing with a blood-red color ring, surrounding their pupils. The grounds were caked with blood. The unbearable stench of death permeated the air. Few of the living pale-skinned beings attempted to survive from the massacre, but were caught. The beings were tied to several trees till sunrise came. A hellish chorus of bloodcurdling screams sounded in the area.

A scene of a pipeline was shown. The floor of the pipelines were caked with blood. Several people looking pale-skinned were lying in the pipes, sleeping. However, several groups of people found them and began to stake them in the heart. Some made no reaction, dying in their sleep. However, a brown haired man with traces of facial scars made a loud, bloodcurdling scream, frightening the people staking him.

Heavy breathing was heard, sounding as though someone was sprinting. By then, a human shaped figure appeared and looked to be biting someone. Blood was shown flowing out of the creature's mouth. By then, darkness claimed the view.

(Requiem OST ends here)

######

A young man woke up from the horrific nightmare. He was one of the few survivors of Sotoba village. However, he wasn't human. He was one of them, a Shiki. Despite being in broad daylight, the sun was not affecting him. Rather, he was a unique type of Shiki called a Jinrou. This young man's name was Sora Jin. He was one of the few survivors and witnessed the entire Shiki massacre in Sotoba village. The sights upon seeing and hearing them became the nightmares he's forever haunted with.

"Damn it... Another nightmare" he said emotionlessly.

The shock after seeing the massacre taking place in the village costed him his emotions. Despite being conscious about it, he refuses to display any emotion. Many psychiatrists attempted to fix him up, but to no avail. Some ruled it to PTSD. Others believe it's due to other psychological problems.

Sora Jin had an athletic build, with near waist length hair that was a natural brown color. His skin was a light tan as a human. His eyes shined with a rare blue color. Upon turning into a Jinrou, his hair turned pure black. His skin became paler and his eyes, although appearing azure, look dead.

Jin struggled with the nightmares every day. This isolated him from everyone around him. Everyone thought he was a delinquent, but he was only focused on his academics. He also struggled with his hunger to feed on blood, despite living on human food. The struggle to retain his humanity gnawed his psyche, making him realize one thing. He can never become a normal human being. To accommodate the lack of blood, he fed on animal blood instead. To him, it was revitalizing, but it also felt stale. It made him feel more of a monster than a human.

Jin was adopted by the Isshin family, next door to the Aono household. The next door neighbors and his adopted parents took notice of Jin's silent state. Despite being adopted, Jin kept his surname from his biological parents, who perished in the burning Sotoba. He was 14 years old when he witnessed the events and unwillingly became a Jinrou.

A year has passed since the burning of Sotoba. Despite being a Jinrou, Jin was able to show signs of aging. It provided a form of disguise to hide his true nature. It also helped to fool his adoptive parents of his true nature.

######

"You had another nightmare Jin?" his adopted mother asked.

Jin nodded in response. He kept a hollow gaze.

"Jin, I believe you should go out more. Being a recluse won't make you feel any better" his mother suggested.

Jin was not mute, but enduring the daily nightmares combined with being a witness of the hellish sight in Sotoba made him psychologically numb. He hardly communicates with people, preferring to stay on his own.

"I will think about it" he said.

Jin graduated from middle school sometime before the strange events of Sotoba village occurred. The events that followed made him become a reclusive person. Reluctantly, he began to think about attending high school.

Jin's adopted father came with a brochure for a high school.

"Honey, I'm home" he said.

"Welcome home, dear. How was your day?" she asked.

"It was splendid. I was able to find this brochure of a high school for our adopted son to attend" he said.

He observed Jin, who still had an emotionless face.

"He hasn't recovered at all. I don't understand why he has been plagued with nightmares" he said somberly.

Jin never revealed to his adoptive parents the reason why he was plagued with nightmares. He withheld the truth, not wanting to remember anything related to Sotoba village.

"Jin, we want you to attend this school. It'll be beneficial for you" his father said.

Jin looked at the brochure carefully, reading 'Yokai Academy'.

"Where did you find this?" Jin asked in a hollow tone.

His father cringed from the tone, but answered.

"It was given to me by a person wearing priest robes" his father answered.

Jin felt suspicious of the person who gave his adoptive father the brochure. He didn't want to comment about how it was acquired. Reluctant, he agreed to attend Yokai Academy.

######

Jin was outside, waiting for the school bus. Near him, his next door neighbor, Aono Tsukune. He took notice of Jin and tried to chat with him.

"Good day to you, Sora-san. How are you doing?" Tsukune asked.

"I'm doing ok" he replied in a neutral tone.

Tsukune felt spooked from the tone he made. He chose not to speak to Jin. The bus arrived for the boys.

"Are you two the transfer students for Yokai Academy?" he asked in an eerily calm tone.

The bus driver was wearing a chauffeur outfit. The strangest part of him was his eyes. They only looked like glowing white orbs.

"We are" Jin said.

"Well then, climb aboard. Just for a reminder, Yokai Academy is a scary place" the bus driver warned.

Jin stopped abruptly. He turned to the bus driver with his emotionless face like a possessed doll.

"I've seen more scarier stuff than any normal person shouldn't see" Jin retorted.

Very few were able to strike fear to the bus driver. Jin's tone was so void of emotion, he practically looked as though he had no soul. This made the bus driver uneasy.

The bus took off, heading inside a strange tunnel. The tunnel had multiple flashes of color. Evidently, the passage lead to an open field of dead trees. This made Jin very uncomfortable. It wasn't the sight itself that scared him. The view reminded him of the now abandoned Sotoba.

Jin reluctantly walked to the path leading to the Yokai Academy. Each step he made into the dead forest felt heavy. Although he's unable to express emotions, Jin was no stranger to them.

Tsukune took notice of Jin's awkward behavior.

"Sora-san. If you don't hurry, we'll be late for the school" Tsukune said.

Jin regained his bearings and walked forward. He didn't want to talk about the sudden change of his behavior. The boys heard something in the path. It sounded like metallic parts moving near them. They moved quickly to try and avoid whatever was heading their way to them. From the bushes, a bat appeared.

"I'm a bat, Chu~" the bat said.

Both boys relaxed, but Jin kept his guard up. From the bush opposite of Tsukune's face, a bike appeared. The person riding the bicycle was a young woman. Her hair was a bubblegum pink color. She was wearing a green brazier, a white shirt, a brown checkered skirt, knee-high white socks, and brown business shoes.

Both Tsukune and the girl were rolling on the ground. While Jin watched, another girl ran to him. The girl had paler skin, feeling cold as ice. Her hair was a purple color, with a hint of silver. Her eyes were a pure blue color, appearing similar to aniridia. She was wearing a white-black sweater with the brown checkered skirt. She was wearing striped purple, knee socks and was wearing brown female shoes. Her hair was reach shoulder length, giving her a cute look.

Both boys woke up and took notice of the girls that crashed onto them. Tsukune was extremely nervous due to lack of confidence with girls. Jin, despite keeping an emotionless face, moved back quickly.

"I'm sorry that this happened. I'm anemic and couldn't control where I was going" the pink haired girl said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see where I was going" the purple haired girl said.

"I-I-It's fine. It was our fault for not noticing" Tsukune said.

"Um... If it's not much, I want to know something. Are you two heading to Yokai Academy?" the purple haired girl asked.

"Y-yes. We're on our way to it" Tsukune answered.

Both boys looked at the girls, who smiled. By then, the girls noticed blood seeping from the boys. Jin had a minor cut on his arm, while Tsukune injured his nose. Moka took notice of Tsukune's injury. She had a handkerchief ready to clean the wound. The moment she smelled the blood, she cringed.

"No... This scent..."

Tsukune didn't understood what she meant, but Jin knew.

'A vampiric being... If it's another Jinrou, I'll have to kill it' he thought darkly.

"Forgive me. This is because I'm a vampire" the pink haired girl said.

Jin swiftly dragged Tsukune away from the girl. She took notice of Tsukune who was being held by his friend.

"He's not food. Keep away from him, shiki" Jin said.

"Shiki? I'm a vampire. What is a shiki?" the pink haired girl said.

"Forget it" Jin said.

Tsukune looked startled from the sudden movement. He looked at Jin.

Mizore took notice of Jin's wound healing at a fast rate.

"Interesting... You protected your friend from a vampire. Is he someone you know?" the purple haired girl asked.

"He reminds me of someone I knew" Jin said cryptically.

The girls decided not to question him, knowing of his insistence not to answer.

"Forgive us if we didn't introduce ourselves to you. My name is Akashiya Moka" the pink haired girl said.

"My name is Shirayuki Mizore" the purple haired girl said.

"My name is Aono Tsukune. Pleased to meet you two" Tsukune said.

"Sora Jin" Jin said.

Moka went to Tsukune, holding his hand while walking to the school. Mizore held Jin's hand, watching him as they walked.

######

Inside the school, Jin and Tsukune were being introduced by the homeroom teacher.

"Hello everyone. Welcome to Yokai Academy. My name is Nekonome Shizuka" the blonde haired female teacher said.

'Well, at least she's friendly. Good thing too' Tsukune thought.

'She's not what she seems. Although friendly, she isn't human' Jin thought.

"As you all know, this school is for monsters" she said in a ditsy tone.

This made the boys stop thinking. Tsukune had a scared look, while Jin looked indifferent.

"For us monsters to live peacefully, we must coexist with the humans" Nekonome said.

The boys reluctantly listened to the teacher's speech.

"Therefore, the staff has established rules in this academy. One: all students must retain their human form at all times, except in emergencies. Two: never reveal your true form to anyone."

Jin inwardly felt more secure, knowing he won't expose much of himself. By then, a male voice spoke.

"What a bunch of boring rules" the male next to Tsukune said.

Nekonome-sensei looked at her attendance sheet.

"You are Komiya Saizou-san" she asked.

"Why don't we eat those humans up and molest the beautiful girls?" Saizou asked.

This made Jin uncomfortable. He kept his neutral gaze at Saizou.

"I don't think you should do that, Komiya-san. Incidentally, all the staff are Yokai. We're hiding inside a secret barrier in the school. Any human that has wandered inside, will be killed on the spot" Shizuka said in jovial manner.

'What an ironic statement. An academy that teaches Yokai how to coexist with humans while killing any that wander here' Jin thought.

Saizou took notice of Tsukune, who shivered.

"Now that you mention it, I picked up a human scent just now" Saizou replied.

This made Tsukune spooked. By then, two girls appeared.

"Sorry we're late. We got lost and had to look for our class" a familiar voice said.

"Wow, look at them. So cute" the male students conplimented.

Tsukune and Jin noticed the girls that walked in. It was Mizore and Moka. By then, the girls took notice of the boys.

"Tsukune! Jin! We're at the same class" Moka shouted with delight, hugging Tsukune.

"I'm glad we have the same class, Jin" Mizore said, holding his right arm happily.

The two couples were walking around the school. They all stopped at a vending machine. Moka purchased tomato juice while Tsukune purchased coffee. Mizore purchased a sweet drink while Jin had tomato juice.

When Jin drank the tomato juice, he felt his thirst of blood wane. This surprised him upon consuming the juice.

'My thirst...! It's no longer severe. I feel quenched as though I had fed on someone. Hard to believe tomato juice can act as a substitute for blood' Jin thought incredulously.

By then, Jin felt a presence.

"You are Akashiya Moka, aren't you" a male voice asked.

Tsukune noticed the presence, taking note of Saizou nearby. Saizou gripped Tsukune and Jin at the collar of their shirts.

"What's a beautiful girl like you doing with two worthless guys like them?" he asked smugly.

Jin made a powerful grip on Saizou's hand, making him shout in pain. He turned to see Jin's eyes which had red, glowing irises. With his grip on Saizou, Jin quickly tore off his hand effortlessly. Saizou screamed in pain.

(Play Shiki OST: Thirteen Moons)

Tsukune watched the brief massacre with horror. Moka and Mizore also watched, scared of Jin.

"This is why I don't like people like you, Saizou. Scum like you should disappear" he said darkly.

Jin grabbed Saizou's legs and spin tossed him out in the dead forest. He ran to where he tossed Saizou out, with Tsukune, Moka, and Mizore following.

######

Saizou was bloodied from having his arm forcefully dismembered. Pain was surging over his body. Unfortunately, Jin arrived quickly to his location. Tsukune, Moka and Mizore arrived at a nearby bush to watch the horrifying scene.

"Spare...me" Saizou begged weakly.

"Spare you...? A monster who wishes to cause death and despair? I don't think so" Jin said.

Jin gripped Saizou's head and violently ripped it off, spine included. By then, he created a field of ice and freeze Saizou's body to ice. He shattered the frozen body, leaving nothing of it behind.

(Thirteen Moons OST stops here)

Tsukune, Moka, and Mizore witnessed the whole thing and were deeply scared. They watched Jin, who was shaking his legs. He collapsed onto the ground, shaking.

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

Jin made a loud yell to the sky in emotional pain. The emotions surging in him were finally unleashed, but only sadness was shown from him. Mizore looked at Jin with sadness, feeling his pain.

'What has caused him to experience such sadness? It must be something that has made him like this' Mizore thought.

She walked to Jin, who struggled to keep himself at check. He kept his emotionless face, but tears were streaming from his eyes.

Jin took notice of Mizore approaching him.

"Stay away from me. I'm not sane" he said.

Mizore stopped and looked at his eyes. She was shocked of what she saw. They looked dead, almost as though his soul was gone. This shocked her for what she saw. Before she question anything, Jin took off.

######

Jin ran off to the school dormitory in fear. The people he met witnessed his frenzied state. He didn't want to talk about it with them right now. Memories of Sotoba Village began to plague him. He tried to shut his eyes and block them, but they got worse and appeared vivid.

(Dead Sea OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - SHI-KI)

The sound of the Shiki screaming in sunlight began to creep into his memories. He took notice of several Shiki attempting to escape, but were unable to. The hellish sight made him shake in fear. By then, he noticed a man staring at them in sadness. Unable to handle the tormenting screams, he grabbed a sharp metal pole and stabbed them in the heart. He was putting them out of their misery, one by one. He had the same expression Jin, moving slowly to each one.

"Hasegawa-san. You don't have to euthanize them" a male villager said.

The man named Hasegawa continued to stab the other screaming Shiki. He took notice at the last one, who was a female and had blue hair. She was making bloodcurdling screams while being burned from the sun. When Hasegawa went to the female Shiki, she smiled, knowing she would be free of her pain. Hasegawa nearly impaled her heart and collapsed to his knees. He was quietly shedding tears, holding his sadness back. A blurred figure saved Nao from the sun, hiding in a secret spot for her to recover.

"I'll be ok" he said.

A brown haired woman went to him.

"It's not that difficult, I'll be fine" he relied in sadness.

The woman hugged him, trying to comfort him.

Jin watched the whole scenario, shedding tears from the memory. He wished he never wanted to live in Sotoba after seeing such a horrific and sad sight.

'Damn it all... Why did that family of Shiki moved to my home village? Why...!? WHY DID THEY TURN ME TO ONE OF THEM!? I RATHER DIE AS A HUMAN THAN BEING A MONSTER' Jin thought in near psychosis.

By then, Nao struggled from her recent burning from the sun. She clamped onto Jin, who watched in sadness.

######

Jin clanged onto his legs, trying to forget the memories. By then, he heard his window open. Mizore took notice of Jin clinging onto his legs. She took notice he was shedding tears.

"What happened to you? You look like you were suffering" she asked worriedly.

"Just stay away from me for today. I don't want to talk about it" Jin answered.

Mizore reluctantly left his room. Jin was emotionlessly distraught, not wanting to question how Mizore entered his dorm or even found him. Jin slowly went to the bathroom to wash himself and sulked to his bed. The events of today triggered his horrific memories of Sotoba, leaving him exhausted.

(SHI-KI OST ends)

######

Tsukune was spooked and attempted to leave the academy. Before he had the chance to, Moka came up to him and hugged him close. This made Tsukune calm down to think rationally.

"What was that...? What caused Jin to suddenly become like that?" he questioned

"I don't know. He looked as though he has been through severe events that made him what he is" Moka explained.

Tsukune didn't want to stay, but didn't left the academy. Reluctantly, he decided to stay with Moka, knowing his friend Jin would keep him safe from the monsters

'I have a feeling that I may have to fix up the problems here and there' Tsukune thought comically.

That's all from here.

Note 1: The main character, Jin, was a witness to the whole events in Sotoba from the anime, Shiki. He was a bystander, who watched the whole massacre.

Note 2: The main character is a Jinrou, but take note that all Shiki, variants or otherwise, displayed psychic abilities. If possible, then they could manifest it in different forms, like pyrokinesis, telekinesis etc.

Note 3: Yes, I killed Saizou off early. It serves as to provide hints to the other main characters about Jin being a Jinrou and his history. Plus, he was an asshole.

Note 4: Tsukune was more scared with Jin killing Saizou bare-handed than knowing about the academy. The encounter with Inner Moka will appear in the next chapter.

Note 5: It should be pretty obvious, but Shiki are essentially yokai. If one notices in a particular scene with Toshio's experimentation against shiki, he made a drop of his blood fall into a shiki's blood. In the anime, you can see the youki devouring the human blood. It's no surprise.

Note 6: Moka and Mizore are best friends in the story. They almost act like sisters with one another.

Note 7: Saizou's death was inspired from Sub-Zero's spine rip fatality from Mortal Kombat.

Any questions, PM me.


	2. Chapter 2

Prologue: Requiem of a nightmare.

Hi everyone. Shadowflame here. I've been watching this anime series called Shiki and been thinking of making this crossover with Rosario Vampire. Both series have their emotional moments, but out of all the moments shown, Shiki is the winner. Any who, I don't own both series. They belong to their respective authors.

(Play Shiki OST Requiem)

Fire... Fire was ravaging a village. Several images of bloodcurdling screams appeared quickly. The pale bodies of the people screaming showed eyes of darkness with no light glints. Some of the eyes were glowing with a blood-red color ring, surrounding their pupils. The grounds were caked with blood. The unbearable stench of death permeated the air. Few of the living pale-skinned beings attempted to survive from the massacre, but were caught. The beings were tied to several trees till sunrise came. A hellish chorus of bloodcurdling screams sounded in the area.

A scene of a pipeline was shown. The floor of the pipelines were caked with blood. Several people looking pale-skinned were lying in the pipes, sleeping. However, several groups of people found them and began to stake them in the heart. Some made no reaction, dying in their sleep. However, a brown haired man with traces of facial scars made a loud, bloodcurdling scream, frightening the people staking him.

Heavy breathing was heard, sounding as though someone was sprinting. By then, a human shaped figure appeared and looked to be biting someone. Blood was shown flowing out of the creature's mouth. By then, darkness claimed the view.

(Requiem OST ends here)

######

A young man woke up from the horrific nightmare. He was one of the few survivors of Sotoba village. However, he wasn't human. He was one of them, a Shiki. Despite being in broad daylight, the sun was not affecting him. Rather, he was a unique type of Shiki called a Jinrou. This young man's name was Sora Jin. He was one of the few survivors and witnessed the entire Shiki massacre in Sotoba village. The sights upon seeing and hearing them became the nightmares he's forever haunted with.

"Damn it... Another nightmare" he said emotionlessly.

The shock after seeing the massacre taking place in the village costed him his emotions. Despite being conscious about it, he refuses to display any emotion. Many psychiatrists attempted to fix him up, but to no avail. Some ruled it to PTSD. Others believe it's due to other psychological problems.

Sora Jin had an athletic build, with near waist length hair that was a natural brown color. His skin was a light tan as a human. His eyes shined with a rare blue color. Upon turning into a Jinrou, his hair turned pure black. His skin became paler and his eyes, although appearing azure, look dead.

Jin struggled with the nightmares every day. This isolated him from everyone around him. Everyone thought he was a delinquent, but he was only focused on his academics. He also struggled with his hunger to feed on blood, despite living on human food. The struggle to retain his humanity gnawed his psyche, making him realize one thing. He can never become a normal human being. To accommodate the lack of blood, he fed on animal blood instead. To him, it was revitalizing, but it also felt stale. It made him feel more of a monster than a human.

Jin was adopted by the Isshin family, next door to the Aono household. The next door neighbors and his adopted parents took notice of Jin's silent state. Despite being adopted, Jin kept his surname from his biological parents, who perished in the burning Sotoba. He was 14 years old when he witnessed the events and unwillingly became a Jinrou.

A year has passed since the burning of Sotoba. Despite being a Jinrou, Jin was able to show signs of aging. It provided a form of disguise to hide his true nature. It also helped to fool his adoptive parents of his true nature.

######

"You had another nightmare Jin?" his adopted mother asked.

Jin nodded in response. He kept a hollow gaze.

"Jin, I believe you should go out more. Being a recluse won't make you feel any better" his mother suggested.

Jin was not mute, but enduring the daily nightmares combined with being a witness of the hellish sight in Sotoba made him psychologically numb. He hardly communicates with people, preferring to stay on his own.

"I will think about it" he said.

Jin graduated from middle school sometime before the strange events of Sotoba village occurred. The events that followed made him become a reclusive person. Reluctantly, he began to think about attending high school.

Jin's adopted father came with a brochure for a high school.

"Honey, I'm home" he said.

"Welcome home, dear. How was your day?" she asked.

"It was splendid. I was able to find this brochure of a high school for our adopted son to attend" he said.

He observed Jin, who still had an emotionless face.

"He hasn't recovered at all. I don't understand why he has been plagued with nightmares" he said somberly.

Jin never revealed to his adoptive parents the reason why he was plagued with nightmares. He withheld the truth, not wanting to remember anything related to Sotoba village.

"Jin, we want you to attend this school. It'll be beneficial for you" his father said.

Jin looked at the brochure carefully, reading 'Yokai Academy'.

"Where did you find this?" Jin asked in a hollow tone.

His father cringed from the tone, but answered.

"It was given to me by a person wearing priest robes" his father answered.

Jin felt suspicious of the person who gave his adoptive father the brochure. He didn't want to comment about how it was acquired. Reluctant, he agreed to attend Yokai Academy.

######

Jin was outside, waiting for the school bus. Near him, his next door neighbor, Aono Tsukune. He took notice of Jin and tried to chat with him.

"Good day to you, Sora-san. How are you doing?" Tsukune asked.

"I'm doing ok" he replied in a neutral tone.

Tsukune felt spooked from the tone he made. He chose not to speak to Jin. The bus arrived for the boys.

"Are you two the transfer students for Yokai Academy?" he asked in an eerily calm tone.

The bus driver was wearing a chauffeur outfit. The strangest part of him was his eyes. They only looked like glowing white orbs.

"We are" Jin said.

"Well then, climb aboard. Just for a reminder, Yokai Academy is a scary place" the bus driver warned.

Jin stopped abruptly. He turned to the bus driver with his emotionless face like a possessed doll.

"I've seen more scarier stuff than any normal person shouldn't see" Jin retorted.

Very few were able to strike fear to the bus driver. Jin's tone was so void of emotion, he practically looked as though he had no soul. This made the bus driver uneasy.

The bus took off, heading inside a strange tunnel. The tunnel had multiple flashes of color. Evidently, the passage lead to an open field of dead trees. This made Jin very uncomfortable. It wasn't the sight itself that scared him. The view reminded him of the now abandoned Sotoba.

Jin reluctantly walked to the path leading to the Yokai Academy. Each step he made into the dead forest felt heavy. Although he's unable to express emotions, Jin was no stranger to them.

Tsukune took notice of Jin's awkward behavior.

"Sora-san. If you don't hurry, we'll be late for the school" Tsukune said.

Jin regained his bearings and walked forward. He didn't want to talk about the sudden change of his behavior. The boys heard something in the path. It sounded like metallic parts moving near them. They moved quickly to try and avoid whatever was heading their way to them. From the bushes, a bat appeared.

"I'm a bat, Chu~" the bat said.

Both boys relaxed, but Jin kept his guard up. From the bush opposite of Tsukune's face, a bike appeared. The person riding the bicycle was a young woman. Her hair was a bubblegum pink color. She was wearing a green brazier, a white shirt, a brown checkered skirt, knee-high white socks, and brown business shoes.

Both Tsukune and the girl were rolling on the ground. While Jin watched, another girl ran to him. The girl had paler skin, feeling cold as ice. Her hair was a purple color, with a hint of silver. Her eyes were a pure blue color, appearing similar to aniridia. She was wearing a white-black sweater with the brown checkered skirt. She was wearing striped purple, knee socks and was wearing brown female shoes. Her hair was reach shoulder length, giving her a cute look.

Both boys woke up and took notice of the girls that crashed onto them. Tsukune was extremely nervous due to lack of confidence with girls. Jin, despite keeping an emotionless face, moved back quickly.

"I'm sorry that this happened. I'm anemic and couldn't control where I was going" the pink haired girl said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see where I was going" the purple haired girl said.

"I-I-It's fine. It was our fault for not noticing" Tsukune said.

"Um... If it's not much, I want to know something. Are you two heading to Yokai Academy?" the purple haired girl asked.

"Y-yes. We're on our way to it" Tsukune answered.

Both boys looked at the girls, who smiled. By then, the girls noticed blood seeping from the boys. Jin had a minor cut on his arm, while Tsukune injured his nose. Moka took notice of Tsukune's injury. She had a handkerchief ready to clean the wound. The moment she smelled the blood, she cringed.

"No... This scent..."

Tsukune didn't understood what she meant, but Jin knew.

'A vampiric being... If it's another Jinrou, I'll have to kill it' he thought darkly.

"Forgive me. This is because I'm a vampire" the pink haired girl said.

Jin swiftly dragged Tsukune away from the girl. She took notice of Tsukune who was being held by his friend.

"He's not food. Keep away from him, shiki" Jin said.

"Shiki? I'm a vampire. What is a shiki?" the pink haired girl said.

"Forget it" Jin said.

Tsukune looked startled from the sudden movement. He looked at Jin.

Mizore took notice of Jin's wound healing at a fast rate.

"Interesting... You protected your friend from a vampire. Is he someone you know?" the purple haired girl asked.

"He reminds me of someone I knew" Jin said cryptically.

The girls decided not to question him, knowing of his insistence not to answer.

"Forgive us if we didn't introduce ourselves to you. My name is Akashiya Moka" the pink haired girl said.

"My name is Shirayuki Mizore" the purple haired girl said.

"My name is Aono Tsukune. Pleased to meet you two" Tsukune said.

"Sora Jin" Jin said.

Moka went to Tsukune, holding his hand while walking to the school. Mizore held Jin's hand, watching him as they walked.

######

Inside the school, Jin and Tsukune were being introduced by the homeroom teacher.

"Hello everyone. Welcome to Yokai Academy. My name is Nekonome Shizuka" the blonde haired female teacher said.

'Well, at least she's friendly. Good thing too' Tsukune thought.

'She's not what she seems. Although friendly, she isn't human' Jin thought.

"As you all know, this school is for monsters" she said in a ditsy tone.

This made the boys stop thinking. Tsukune had a scared look, while Jin looked indifferent.

"For us monsters to live peacefully, we must coexist with the humans" Nekonome said.

The boys reluctantly listened to the teacher's speech.

"Therefore, the staff has established rules in this academy. One: all students must retain their human form at all times, except in emergencies. Two: never reveal your true form to anyone."

Jin inwardly felt more secure, knowing he won't expose much of himself. By then, a male voice spoke.

"What a bunch of boring rules" the male next to Tsukune said.

Nekonome-sensei looked at her attendance sheet.

"You are Komiya Saizou-san" she asked.

"Why don't we eat those humans up and molest the beautiful girls?" Saizou asked.

This made Jin uncomfortable. He kept his neutral gaze at Saizou.

"I don't think you should do that, Komiya-san. Incidentally, all the staff are Yokai. We're hiding inside a secret barrier in the school. Any human that has wandered inside, will be killed on the spot" Shizuka said in jovial manner.

'What an ironic statement. An academy that teaches Yokai how to coexist with humans while killing any that wander here' Jin thought.

Saizou took notice of Tsukune, who shivered.

"Now that you mention it, I picked up a human scent just now" Saizou replied.

This made Tsukune spooked. By then, two girls appeared.

"Sorry we're late. We got lost and had to look for our class" a familiar voice said.

"Wow, look at them. So cute" the male students conplimented.

Tsukune and Jin noticed the girls that walked in. It was Mizore and Moka. By then, the girls took notice of the boys.

"Tsukune! Jin! We're at the same class" Moka shouted with delight, hugging Tsukune.

"I'm glad we have the same class, Jin" Mizore said, holding his right arm happily.

The two couples were walking around the school. They all stopped at a vending machine. Moka purchased tomato juice while Tsukune purchased coffee. Mizore purchased a sweet drink while Jin had tomato juice.

When Jin drank the tomato juice, he felt his thirst of blood wane. This surprised him upon consuming the juice.

'My thirst...! It's no longer severe. I feel quenched as though I had fed on someone. Hard to believe tomato juice can act as a substitute for blood' Jin thought incredulously.

By then, Jin felt a presence.

"You are Akashiya Moka, aren't you" a male voice asked.

Tsukune noticed the presence, taking note of Saizou nearby. Saizou gripped Tsukune and Jin at the collar of their shirts.

"What's a beautiful girl like you doing with two worthless guys like them?" he asked smugly.

Jin made a powerful grip on Saizou's hand, making him shout in pain. He turned to see Jin's eyes which had red, glowing irises. With his grip on Saizou, Jin quickly tore off his hand effortlessly. Saizou screamed in pain.

(Play Shiki OST: Thirteen Moons)

Tsukune watched the brief massacre with horror. Moka and Mizore also watched, scared of Jin.

"This is why I don't like people like you, Saizou. Scum like you should disappear" he said darkly.

Jin grabbed Saizou's legs and spin tossed him out in the dead forest. He ran to where he tossed Saizou out, with Tsukune, Moka, and Mizore following.

######

Saizou was bloodied from having his arm forcefully dismembered. Pain was surging over his body. Unfortunately, Jin arrived quickly to his location. Tsukune, Moka and Mizore arrived at a nearby bush to watch the horrifying scene.

"Spare...me" Saizou begged weakly.

"Spare you...? A monster who wishes to cause death and despair? I don't think so" Jin said.

Jin gripped Saizou's head and violently ripped it off, spine included. By then, he created a field of ice and freeze Saizou's body to ice. He shattered the frozen body, leaving nothing of it behind.

(Thirteen Moons OST stops here)

Tsukune, Moka, and Mizore witnessed the whole thing and were deeply scared. They watched Jin, who was shaking his legs. He collapsed onto the ground, shaking.

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

Jin made a loud yell to the sky in emotional pain. The emotions surging in him were finally unleashed, but only sadness was shown from him. Mizore looked at Jin with sadness, feeling his pain.

'What has caused him to experience such sadness? It must be something that has made him like this' Mizore thought.

She walked to Jin, who struggled to keep himself at check. He kept his emotionless face, but tears were streaming from his eyes.

Jin took notice of Mizore approaching him.

"Stay away from me. I'm not sane" he said.

Mizore stopped and looked at his eyes. She was shocked of what she saw. They looked dead, almost as though his soul was gone. This shocked her for what she saw. Before she question anything, Jin took off.

######

Jin ran off to the school dormitory in fear. The people he met witnessed his frenzied state. He didn't want to talk about it with them right now. Memories of Sotoba Village began to plague him. He tried to shut his eyes and block them, but they got worse and appeared vivid.

(Dead Sea OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - SHI-KI)

The sound of the Shiki screaming in sunlight began to creep into his memories. He took notice of several Shiki attempting to escape, but were unable to. The hellish sight made him shake in fear. By then, he noticed a man staring at them in sadness. Unable to handle the tormenting screams, he grabbed a sharp metal pole and stabbed them in the heart. He was putting them out of their misery, one by one. He had the same expression Jin, moving slowly to each one.

"Hasegawa-san. You don't have to euthanize them" a male villager said.

The man named Hasegawa continued to stab the other screaming Shiki. He took notice at the last one, who was a female and had blue hair. She was making bloodcurdling screams while being burned from the sun. When Hasegawa went to the female Shiki, she smiled, knowing she would be free of her pain. Hasegawa nearly impaled her heart and collapsed to his knees. He was quietly shedding tears, holding his sadness back. A blurred figure saved Nao from the sun, hiding in a secret spot for her to recover.

"I'll be ok" he said.

A brown haired woman went to him.

"It's not that difficult, I'll be fine" he relied in sadness.

The woman hugged him, trying to comfort him.

Jin watched the whole scenario, shedding tears from the memory. He wished he never wanted to live in Sotoba after seeing such a horrific and sad sight.

'Damn it all... Why did that family of Shiki moved to my home village? Why...!? WHY DID THEY TURN ME TO ONE OF THEM!? I RATHER DIE AS A HUMAN THAN BEING A MONSTER' Jin thought in near psychosis.

By then, Nao struggled from her recent burning from the sun. She clamped onto Jin, who watched in sadness.

######

Jin clanged onto his legs, trying to forget the memories. By then, he heard his window open. Mizore took notice of Jin clinging onto his legs. She took notice he was shedding tears.

"What happened to you? You look like you were suffering" she asked worriedly.

"Just stay away from me for today. I don't want to talk about it" Jin answered.

Mizore reluctantly left his room. Jin was emotionlessly distraught, not wanting to question how Mizore entered his dorm or even found him. Jin slowly went to the bathroom to wash himself and sulked to his bed. The events of today triggered his horrific memories of Sotoba, leaving him exhausted.

(SHI-KI OST ends)

######

Tsukune was spooked and attempted to leave the academy. Before he had the chance to, Moka came up to him and hugged him close. This made Tsukune calm down to think rationally.

"What was that...? What caused Jin to suddenly become like that?" he questioned

"I don't know. He looked as though he has been through severe events that made him what he is" Moka explained.

Tsukune didn't want to stay, but didn't left the academy. Reluctantly, he decided to stay with Moka, knowing his friend Jin would keep him safe from the monsters

'I have a feeling that I may have to fix up the problems here and there' Tsukune thought comically.

That's all from here.

Note 1: The main character, Jin, was a witness to the whole events in Sotoba from the anime, Shiki. He was a bystander, who watched the whole massacre.

Note 2: The main character is a Jinrou, but take note that all Shiki, variants or otherwise, displayed psychic abilities. If possible, then they could manifest it in different forms, like pyrokinesis, telekinesis etc.

Note 3: Yes, I killed Saizou off early. It serves as to provide hints to the other main characters about Jin being a Jinrou and his history. Plus, he was an asshole.

Note 4: Tsukune was more scared with Jin killing Saizou bare-handed than knowing about the academy. The encounter with Inner Moka will appear in the next chapter.

Note 5: It should be pretty obvious, but Shiki are essentially yokai. If one notices in a particular scene with Toshio's experimentation against shiki, he made a drop of his blood fall into a shiki's blood. In the anime, you can see the youki devouring the human blood. It's no surprise.

Note 6: Moka and Mizore are best friends in the story. They almost act like sisters with one another.

Note 7: Saizou's death was inspired from Sub-Zero's spine rip fatality from Mortal Kombat.

Any questions, PM me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Succubus trouble. A relieving heart.

I do not own anything for both series.

Jin was walking alone to the school. He took notice of Moka greeting Tsukune. It made him wary of her.

"Good morning, Tsukune" she said happily.

"Good morning, Moka-san" Tsukune replied.

Before Tsukune realized it, Moka was about to bite his neck. In a flash of speed, Jin stopped Moka. This made her pout.

"I know she recently fed on you. The scent from her saliva was on you" Jin cryptically commented to Tsukune.

Tsukune was surprised of his friend knowing about Moka feeding on his blood. He began to question Jin.

"Why are you so concerned about me from Moka?" Tsukune asked.

"I have a heavy distrust on anything vampire-related" Jin answered.

Tsukune relented, knowing Jin was not a talkative person, lowering his guard in the process. Moka took the chance and bit Tsukune's neck. This caught him in complete surprise.

"Capu-chu~!"

"M-Moka-san...! I'm not your food" he said, comically running off in a distance.

Moka watched Tsukune zoom out from her. She was concerned for Tsukune.

"Tsukune" she said, staring at him running off.

While Tsukune was running, no one noticed a figure watching Tsukune and Jin.

'Two handsome boys... One of them looks meek, while the other looks emotionless... I hope one of them is my Destined One' the figure thought.

######

Tsukune was walking by himself, thinking about the academy and his friend.

"The bites from Moka have no pain... I almost have no discomfort from them. Anyway, Sora-san is pretty protective of me. He does dislike anything related to vampires though. I wonder what caused him to hate vampires... Did a vampire caused an attack at his home or something?" Tsukune questioned to himself.

By then, Tsukune heard a moaning sound. He took notice of a girl at a nearby pond. The girl had sky blue hair, which was tied to a ponytail and amethyst eyes. She was wearing a yellow vest sweater over her school uniform. Tsukune looked away while blushing, due to the girl's short but voluptuous appearance.

"I'm sorry... Can you help me to the infirmary?" she asked.

"S-sure" Tsukune stutters nervously.

Tsukune helped the girl up, unaware of her smirking.

######

Jin was walking alone. He took notice of the lacking presence of Tsukune. Fearing the worst, he retraced his walking to Moka.

"Where did Tsukune go?" he asked seriously to Moka.

"He took off to the forest over there" she said meekly.

Jin took off in a flash, surprising Moka. Unknown to Moka, her rosary gave a faint, red glow.

'His kind is unknown to me. The only thing that gives any hint is the lack of light glint in his eyes. I can hear his heartbeat, his body temperature... Yet, he exhibits abilities that can exceed a vampire as powerful as my father... I may have to look more about this village called Sotoba' the other Moka said.

######

Jin ran at crazy speed. He took notice of Mizore keeping up with him. Unfortunately, he was interested for Tsukune's safety.

"You're in a rush today" Mizore commented.

"I know. I'm trying to find my friend" Jin said.

"I think I saw him with another girl. I don't know much about her, but she's not someone he should be with" Mizore said.

"That makes it more of a reason for me to find him" Jin retorted.

"I'll come with you to help your friend" Mizore said.

"Why are you helping me?" Jin questioned.

"I like you because of your concern for your friend" she answered.

Jin made a faint blush, which Mizore saw.

"Alright. I'll need your help then" Jin said.

Mizore smiled and ran with him to find Tsukune.

######

Tsukune and the blue haired girl were walking near the entrance to the infirmary.

"Thank you for bringing me to the infirmary, Tsukune-san" the girl said.

"It's no problem... Wait, how do you know my name?" he questioned in surprise.

"Aren't we silly? We're at the same homeroom" the girl said.

"I see... Are you feeling ok?" he asked.

"I'm doing ok. Just a little dizzy" she said, pressing herself on his body.

Tsukune closed his eyes to not let the sensation of the girl's body overtake his cognitive thought. The girl then looked to Tsukune and smirked, knowing of his shy behavior.

"Tsukune, look at my eyes" she said in a fake sweet tone.

Tsukune did so, noticing her amethyst eyes staring deeply at him.

"My name is Kurono Kurumu. Please be with me" she said.

Kurumu's gaze was creating a hypnotic effect. It made Tsukune succumb to her stare.

Tsukune hugged Kurumu playfully, holding on to her from behind. Kurumu also pressed herself more on Tsukune's body.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau De Vie)

During the hypnosis, Jin and Mizore arrived too late. They noticed Tsukune was acting strange. He acted more like a doll than a person.

"That's very strange... Tsukune is like a doll now and acting more boldly" Mizore said.

"That's hypnosis, from what it looks like. It's coming from that girl" Jin said, pointing to Kurumu.

Jin appeared from a nearby bush to Tsukune and Kurumu, surprising the latter.

"You can wake up from your hypnosis, Tsukune" Jin said, slapping his friend's head on the back.

"Ouch... What happened to me?" Tsukune asked confusingly.

"You were hypnotized" Jin said.

Jin and Mizore looked to Kurumu, who looked shock.

"Don't you dare hypnotize my friend again, Kurumu" Jin said.

Kurumu took notice of Jin's aura. It was a silver white color.

"What are you...? You have a frightening aura" Kurumu said fearfully.

"I'm a friend of Tsukune" Jin said emotionlessly.

Kurumu looked at Jin's eyes and was shocked of what she saw in them. She saw emptiness in his soul. There was nothing but intense pain in them. To add tension to her fear, she noticed his blue eyes starting to glow red.

"Do not attempt to find anything about me" Jin said coldly.

Kurumu nodded with fear, not knowing of the possible threat Jin was capable of doing.

Moka took notice of the whole, minor scuffle. She felt concerned for Tsukune the most, but she also saw Jin's cold interaction.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

######

Inside the classroom, Tsukune pondered on what Kurumu did to him.

'What happened to me...? Jin said that girl hypnotized me but I don't recall anything after when I stared at Kurumu's eyes. Something doesn't add up' he thought.

Moka took notice of Tsukune thinking about the events.

'He's trying to recall everything that happened to him. That girl is acting very weird with him' Moka thought.

Moka looked to Kurumu, who smirked. This alarmed her.

'So she was planning something... I have to make sure Tsukune doesn't get involved with her. She's bad news after all' Moka thought seriously.

Jin took notice of the tension between them. He briefly looked at the two girls, not wanting to draw attention.

Mizore noticed Jin's concern for Tsukune. She smiled, knowing he still cares for people.

######

Moka was near a vending machine, slightly angered from Kurumu, drinking tomato juice. Jin was at the opposite side, also drinking tomato juice. Mizore was with Jin, clinging onto his right arm. They were at the main hall of the academy.

Although Moka was upset, she took notice of Mizore smiling. She then looked at Jin who made a faint, but sincere smile. The smile lasted for a few seconds till it turned back to his emotionless face.

By then, a voice was heard throughout the hall, alerting the students.

"You must be a legendary vampire, aren't you, Akashiya Moka?" a familiar voice said.

Jin, Mizore, and Moka looked up and saw Kurumu sitting on a stair handle. They watched her jump, but Jin looked away, not wanting to fall for her seductive tricks.

"Did you see that?" a male student said.

"It was a snow white" another said.

"Besides her underwear, why does she have such a young yet alluring body?" another male asked.

"It must be the calling of the Milky Way" the 3 males said together.

'What a bunch of perverts... That girl is just playing with their thoughts' Jin thought.

"You have even a hindrance to my plan, Moka" she said.

"What are you talking about?" Moka asked with confusion.

"It's my succubus Harem plan to make all the school boys mine. Kurono Kurumu's plan. However, the boys have been smitten with you instead of me" she said in disappointment.

'Great... A cat fight... Better not get involved with them' Jin thought, watching them.

"Should we help them?" Mizore asks.

"It's best to stay away till things go out of control" Jin wisely said.

"Since the boys were mostly looking at you, I decided to steal your friends, specifically Tsukune and Jin" Kurumu said.

This made Jin go on guard, now knowing he was a target from Kurumu. By then, Tsukune was walking nearby, minding his own business. He took notice of the argument happening and was about to stop it. Jin quickly grabbed Tsukune on the collar of his shirt, making him stop.

"What are you doing, Jin-san?" he asked to his friend.

"For your safety, don't involve yourself in this cat fight" Jin said.

Tsukune could only watch till Kurumu came up to him. She was about to bear hug Tsukune till Jin pulled him out of the way. Kurumu fell on the floor.

"Ow... Why did you move Tsukune out of the way, Jin-kun?" Kurumu asked with hurt.

Mizore was irked by Kurumu trying to allure him.

"He's not your toy, nor am I. Also, I'm with Mizore Shirayuki" Jin said seriously.

This made everyone look at him with surprise, but none was more surprised than Mizore. She blushed red from Jin's answer. Jin also realized what he said and blushed red. He looked away to hide his blushing.

However, Kurumu wasn't going to take rejection easily.

"How awful... You don't like me?" Kurumu said in a fake, hurt tone.

"We barely know you, Kurumu. Shouldn't we try to get to know each other like normal people?" Tsukune said.

Kurumu was surprised from Tsukune. She then felt her heart flutter.

'What is this feeling...? Is Tsukune the one who will be my Destined One?' she thought.

She quickly took Tsukune and used her Allure Stare to make him submit himself to her. Surprisingly, he was able to resist it. This shocked Kurumu to disbelief.

"Come with me, Tsukune. I want to talk with you" she said.

"W-wait!" Tsukune said, but it was no use.

######

Kurumu brought Tsukune to the infirmary. She began to talk with him.

"Tsukune, I'm pretty sure you know what I am" she said.

"I'm not really sure, but I think I heard you shouting something about a succubus something" Tsukune said.

"That's what I am... I'm a succubus" Kurumu said, revealing her wings and tail.

Tsukune was surprised of her. He took notice of Kurumu's downhearted expression.

"My kind are endangered beings. Our numbers have been dwindling at an increased rate. I want to help secure the future of my kind. You see, succubae have to allure many men to try find the one person they like the most. Once they picked that male, out of the whole group, we mark them as our Destined One. It's like finding someone who is right for you, like someone who's soul can be felt by one another" she explained.

Tsukune now realized what Kurumu was saying.

"But once you find your Destined One, what of the boys that were allured from you?" he asked.

"I leave them alone. Having someone to love is what makes a succubus strong" Kurumu said.

"Then that means" Tsukune said, leaving the sentence open.

"I... I've fallen for you, Tsukune" she said innocently.

Tsukune looked at Kurumu's eyes. He noticed they were not showing any lies from her. Kurumu hugged Tsukune closely.

Kurumu was moving close to Tsukune, till the infirmary door opened. Moka, Jin, and Mizore appeared in a rush.

"We have to get you two out of here, quickly" Jin said.

"Your large group of boys are storming here like a bunch of rabid animals" Moka said to Kurumu.

"They suddenly went out of control. The succubus charm must've caused a problem" Mizore said.

Kurumu laughed nervously, getting the attention.

"Kurumu... Care to explain?" Jin said.

"It's complicated but ok... You see, when a succubus finds a Destined One, the charm on beings from the opposite gender will backfire, enraging them. Because of the risks of the charm, succubae often fed upon the lustful desire of any being to prevent that. However, I didn't take their lust, which made them act like this" she explained.

"That makes sense now…" Jin commented.

"Kurumu, take Tsukune and fly to the roof. We'll meet up with you there" Moka said.

Kurumu nodded and flew outside with Tsukune. Mizore and Jin created a wall of ice to keep the boys out.

"We have to head to the roof. They might go there to track them down. Let's hurry" Mizore said.

Jin began to use his cryokinesis. He formed an ice construct of wings on his back. They didn't appear leathery. The wings look like they were that of a bird's. This surprised Mizore in awe.

"Wow... You created wings of ice...? You're beautiful" she said in amazement.

This gave an unknown warm feeling for him. Jin blushed but looked away.

"I'm not something beautiful" he said in a cryptic tone with melancholy.

Mizore and Moka held onto Jin's hand while he flew to the roof. There, they managed to regroup with Kurumu and Tsukune.

"Moka-san, Jin-san, Mizore-san. You made it" Tsukune said.

The gang heard loud banging at a door which leads to a staircase. The door was starting to break, evident of the numerous cracks running all over it.

"Get ready" Jin said.

Everyone was ready to fight against the berserk males. Moka went to Tsukune.

"Tsukune, please pull the rosary out. You were able to do so last time. By unsealing me, I'll be able to fight in my true form" Moka said.

"You mean that scary form of you?" Tsukune asked reluctantly.

Moka looked slightly hurt, but she couldn't blame him.

"Yes... That was my true form, a scary vampire. I'm certain she'll help, my inner self" Moka said.

Tsukune nodded and began to pull the rosary off. With a loud clang, it came off.

"Thank you" Moka said.

A powerful aura encompassed the air. Moka transformed into her true form.

 **"A legion of berserk males. Quite a challenge for me"** Inner Moka said.

Jin stepped up, creating an icy aura. Moka looked at him with surprise.

 **"I don't understand... You're nothing like the yokai that I know of... What on earth are you?"** she questioned.

"Don't bother asking" Jin said, changing his eyes.

A powerful aura flowed out of Jin. It rivaled Moka's, even outmatching her aura. With a loud, audible snap from his thumb, Jin took off in a blast of speed. He rammed one of the enraged males down, creating a powerful rush of air. This toppled the males behind the one Jin attacked like dominos.

Moka watched in fascination of the sheer power from Jin's attack. She noticed an enraged male heading to her. With a smirk, she made a spin kick, which knocked the male unconscious.

"Sure are a lot of them ... Time to end this" Jin said.

Jin began to charge his ice powers. He then channeled it to the ground, creating a field of ice.

"COCYTUS" Jin shouted.

"Cocytus!? Isn't that supposed to be the lake of ice!?" Tsukune questioned.

"It is... However, this technique creates a giant field of ice that freezes any enemy to the user. This technique is generally used from Yuki-Onna who have developed their powers...! I never thought I would see it in action" Mizore said in amazement.

Everyone watched as Jin flash freeze every enraged boy. This made them stop their rampage.

"Don't worry. They aren't dead yet" Jin said.

Moka walked up to the frozen boys and shattered the ice by kicking them. The boys looked confused on what happened to them.

"Ugh... My head hurts" one male said.

"Where am I?" another said.

"Why are we all here?" another male asked.

The boys all pondered on what happened to them. They all left the rooftop and went back to their dorms in confusion.

"That's done from here" Jin said with an emotionless tone.

 **"Hold it. You continue to be a mystery to everyone. I'm not letting you leave this rooftop till you answer my questions"** Inner Moka said.

Before Moka could move, Jin looked at her and flash freeze her body, leaving her head unaffected.

"I'm not going to answer your questions. If you continue acting like that, I will freeze you to eternal ice" Jin said coldly.

Moka looked at Jin and growled. She wanted to pummel him down. In an instant, she shattered the ice and dashed towards him. Jin created a shield of ice which blocked Moka's kick.

"What a nuisance" Jin said.

"Stop fighting you two" Mizore said.

 **"Sorry, but this guy has perked my curiosity many times. He's a complete mystery to me"** Inner Moka said.

"That doesn't mean you have to beat me up to find out. If I'm not sharing any details about me then leave it alone" Jin explained.

Everyone looked at Jin in brief shock.

"I haven't seen spoke much like that" Tsukune said.

"You're right. He's starting to become more open" Kurumu said.

Jin walked away, not wanting to deal with any more shenanigans. However, Moka was persistent to know about him. She continued attacking him to find answers.

"I'm getting tired of you trying to make me force out info about me. Do yourself a favor and take a nap" Jin said.

He then karate chopped Moka's neck, knocking her out. Tsukune looked at Moka with worry.

"Place the rosary back on the chain. It will seal off her powers so she won't constantly attack me" Jin said to Tsukune.

Tsukune reluctantly placed the seal back on Moka. Immediately, Moka's aura dissipated. Tsukune looked at Jin with a frown, knowing he was hiding something. He decided to leave Jin alone for now.

######

Jin walked back to his room in the boy's dorm. He took a shower to wash himself off. By then, he was putting his pajamas on, till Mizore appeared in a flurry of snow. Jin's upper body was exposed, showing numerous scars around him.

"What happened to you?" Mizore asked in worry.

"Old wounds. I'm not saying anything about my past" Jin said.

"You're hiding your pain from something, Jin. I can't bear it if you're still suffering" Mizore said sadly.

"You shouldn't worry about me. I'm more of a danger to you than most beings" Jin said.

"What I understand is this: you're a vampire-like yokai, yet you don't exhibit traits of a typical vampire. However, the black sclera and red irises showed otherwise. Jin, I don't care what you are. I like you for who you are. You're a person who cares for his friends" Mizore said.

Jin paused for a minute to try and retort. He couldn't say anything to her. He sighed in response.

"There's something I want to ask when I heard you explaining. Are you a Yuki-Onna?" Jin asked hesitantly.

Mizore looked surprised but nodded. She revealed her true form. Her hair turned into lighter shade of lavender. Her hands turned into ice claws and her eyes shined like sapphire.

"Yes... I'm a Yuki-Onna. I control ice and snow through will alone. Does this form disgust you?" she asked hesitantly.

"It doesn't... You look like a snow angel" Jin said, staring at Mizore.

Mizore blushed red, while Jin realized what he said.

"I-I see. I'm glad that you like me" Mizore said.

Jin tried to say something, but was nervous. He couldn't speak while Mizore smiled like a beauty. Before Jin had a chance to talk, Mizore slipped her hand to Jin's hand. He felt the familiar cold hands on her hand, but he didn't mind. Mizore moved close and kissed him on his cheek. Jin blushed in response.

"Maybe we can be like a couple one day" Mizore said.

"Who knows? I don't know for myself" Jin said with uncertainty.

Jin began to feel his heart race in him. Mizore felt his pulse growing strong. She pushed Jin down to his bed to listen to his heartbeat.

"Mizore, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Please be quiet and stay still" she said.

Mizore listened to Jin's heart beating. She realized he was starting to have feelings for her. She smiled happily.

"If you want to stay here, you're more than welcome" Jin said, looking away from Mizore.

"I would like that. I want to spend a night with you" she said.

"Don't get used to it. I'm only doing this because I don't want you to get caught by the landlady" Jin said, trying to make an excuse.

Mizore giggle and slept with Jin. The couple fell asleep.

That's all for now.

Jin's past will be revealed in 2 more chapters. Be ready for it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: The young witch, Yukari. Mizore's concern.

I do not own anything from both series.

Jin was having another nightmare. He was shaking and breathing hard. The sound of his breathing alerted Mizore, making her cling onto Jin.

"Jin-kun...! Wake up! It's only a dream!" she shouted.

However, Mizore's shouting was not reaching him.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau De Vie)

Jin was reliving what he saw in Sotoba. It was sundown at the village. He saw his parents, blood drained and dead. He began to dig their graves. Before he knew it, his parents suddenly rise up. Their skin was pale as ice and their eyes turned pure black.

"No... I saw you two die in front of me...! What happened to you?" Jin said, scared of his parents.

They didn't respond as they lunged towards him to feed on his blood. Jin rolled on the floor to avoid them. He quickly ran outside, encountering a familiar, purple-haired person. Two kids, a boy and a girl were near him.

"Natsuno-san! Something strange is going on" Jin said.

"I noticed. Whatever it is, the number of people being killed has been increasing" Natsuno said.

"You have any idea what is happening here in Sotoba" Jin asked.

"I have no idea, but from what I understand, it seems something called the undead is happening" Natsuno said.

"What do you mean?" Jin asked.

"When I was with Tooru, he was bitten by Megumi Shimizu" Natsuno said.

"Shimizu's back from the dead...? My God..." A boy said.

Natsuno looked at Jin with some concern.

"What happened with you?" Natsuno asked.

"My parents died yesterday... When I was about to bury their bodies, they suddenly risen up from the dead" Jin said while shaking.

"That proves it then... The undead are rising and have been feeding on subsequent victims. From what I noticed, Tooru looked lethargic, but he's still alive. I don't know how long he'll last but I have to find out about these monsters" Natsuno said.

"I'm coming with you, Natsuno-san. My home is no longer safe" Jin said.

"Alright, you can come, but keep quiet about the incidents for now. We don't want people to think we're crazy, but we need proof that the undead have risen" Natsuno said.

Jin nodded and proceeded to go to Tooru's house.

######

The scene shifted to Jin running from the shiki, who have their eyes glowing red. They all growled with a bloodthirsty look, wanting to feed on Jin.

"Stay away from you monsters! You killed my friends, my parents, and everyone I knew in Sotoba! WHY DO YOU KILLED THEM!?" Jin shouted.

By then, a mouth appeared out of nowhere and bit his neck. He made a loud, pained scream as darkness consumed his sights.

(Eau De Vie OST ends)

######

(Play Shiki OST - SHI-KI)

Mizore was trying to get Jin to wake up. Her attempts seem to be in vain, as Jin was trying to fight off the nightmare, but was struggling.

An icy aura encompassed his room, forming frost everywhere. By the time Jin woke up, he screamed loudly, unleashing a blizzard in his room. Mizore resisted the blizzard thanks to her nature as a Yuki-Onna. However, Jin was sweating heavily.

"Jin-kun, are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Mizore. It's just a bad dream" he said nonchalantly.

"You've been having these nightmares for a while. It's starting to make me worry about you" she said.

"Don't waste your pity for me. I'm forever having these nightmares till the end of time" Jin said.

Mizore shook her head and hugged Jin. She was crying, knowing how painful it was for him to endure the endless torture from the nightmares.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I'm crying because you have been suffering from these nightmares. There was nothing I could do to help you" she said while sobbing.

Jin sighed with a heavy heart. He began to state how fruitless her efforts were.

"These nightmares will never disappear, Mizore-san. No matter what I do, not even a psychiatrist could help me. If there was a way for me to rid these nightmares off from my head, I wouldn't be having them right now" Jin said.

Mizore just looked at him while crying. Jin felt his heart tear. It looked painful to see Mizore cry to him.

"I know you tried to help me, but there are some things that even a yokai can't do" he said somberly.

Mizore noticed Jin was starting to express more of his emotions. She didn't point them out, but she hugged Jin tightly.

######

Jin was walking outside with Mizore holding on to his hand. Her face showed tear marks from her eyes. Tsukune and Moka took notice of Mizore's face.

"What happened to her, Jin-san? Did something happen?" Tsukune asked worriedly.

"It was something that happened this morning" he said.

"What happened this morning?" Tsukune asked.

Before he could get an answer, Mizore looked at him and shook her head somberly. This made him feel hopeless.

"Dang it... I want to help my friend as much as I could, but I can't. I wish there's a way for me to help" Tsukune said somberly.

(SHI-KI OST ends here)

######

Tsukune, Moka, and Mizore liked at Jin, who looked more detached from the world. Shizuka took noticed of Jin's dead-looking eyes.

'I may have to speak with the Headmaster about this. He looks more lifeless than usual' she thought.

######

Lunch came by in Yokai Academy. Jin was sitting by himself in the cafeteria, ignoring everyone staring at his dead-looking face. He didn't bother eating his meal. Tsukune and the others watched with worry for their friend. They tried to talk with him to help snap him back.

Jin was completely silent, not responding to anyone talking with him. The torturous nightmares were taking his tolls on him. Nobody went to talk with him. The people that did so, had a brief look at his eyes. The lifeless stare they gave spooked them.

A young girl with a witch wardrobe took notice of Jin staring out in space. She looked curious of the boy sitting near his friends, who were trying to talk with him. She felt sorry for him, not knowing the real truth of his current behavior.

Shizuka was passing by in the cafeteria, looking for a meal. She noticed Jin sitting by himself, emotionless. This made her frown, not liking the psychological breakdown. She attempted to speak with him.

"What are you doing, Sora-kun? Your friends are worried for you" Shizuka said.

Jin slowly turned to look at her like a possessed doll. The state his eyes gave unnerved her. She felt like moving away from him, but she persisted.

"I noticed how you look since this morning. Please tell me if something's wrong" she said.

Jin said nothing at all. His behavior made Shizuka very worried. Mizore was worried for him the most. She felt her heart twist, like a ringed sponge. She couldn't stand to see Jin suffer anymore. Reluctant, she snagged Jin and head outside.

######

Mizore ran to the forest with Jin in her arms. She held him like a mannequin. When she put him down on the ground, she began to question him.

"What is wrong with you, Jin? You look worse than yesterday" Mizore said.

Jin's voice was temporarily lost from his psychological torture. Reluctant, he began to write on a notepad.

'Don't worry about me. This is nothing' the notepad said.

"I'm not leaving here till you tell me about your problems" she stated seriously.

Jin made a sigh motion. He then wrote on his notepad.

'It isn't worth looking into my past or any problems. Please, just leave me alone for today' the note said.

Despondent from his response, Mizore left Jin alone. She gave him one more look before walking back to the academy. Jin slowly went back to his dorm room, not wanting to stay outside.

######

(Play Shiki OST Fir Trees)

Jin was walking, constantly remembering his past in Sotoba. Unknown to him, the young witch girl was following him curiously. He didn't sense the young girl following him as he continued to move through the forest.

'Who is this man? He's suffering a lot from something... It looks very serious, but I don't know what's causing it' she thought.

Reluctant, she followed him into his dorm, using magic to make herself transparent.

'Thank goodness or the transparency spell' she thought.

######

Jin went inside his room and took out a notebook to study. Despite his emotional burden, he was able to catch up on his school work. He eventually took a nap and fell asleep.

Unknown to him, the young witch girl was watching him. She was still transparent.

'I never thought he would fall asleep right now. His room is so...empty. It's like living in a monochrome world' she thought depressingly.

She noticed Jin tossing and turning. He was sweating heavily. The girl began to slowly realize what was happening.

'He's suffering from a nightmare... Could it be that he deals with them almost on an everyday basis?' she questioned to herself.

Not wanting to surprise Jin, the girl left quickly, still invisible.

(Fir Trees OST ends here)

######

The sun started to set. Jin woke up, sweating a lot. He went to the bathroom to take a shower.

"These nightmares will never end. No matter how I try to deal with them, they're getting worse. It's my curse of being what I am... Damn it... Why did those creatures attack the people I cared for?" he said.

Unknown to him, Mizore was outside the bathroom door, hearing Jin talking to himself. She was surprised on how he revealed some of his past to her. However, it was still vague for her to understand. Mizore waited till she heard the shower turn off. She quickly ran to Jin's bed, waiting for him.

When Jin heard running noises, he slowly moved out of the bathtub. He felt Mizore's presence in his room.

'That girl is being too concerned for me. I don't need anyone worrying about my health' he thought darkly.

Jin was able to stow a pair of pants, leaving his upper body exposed. He didn't want Mizore to see the bite scars on his neck, nor the scars on his back. Reluctant, he draped a long towel around his neck like a cape. To hide his neck, he was wearing bandages.

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

Mizore was waiting for him. She looked serious, wanting to know what was wrong with Jin. She took notice of him coming out of the bathroom.

"Jin... Why are you wearing a bandage on your neck and why are you wearing your towel like a cape?" she questioned.

"Don't attempt to remove them" he said in a cold tone.

Mizore was reluctant, but removed the towel from his back. Everything was in slow motion. The minute she saw his back, she was horrified. She noticed the horrendous scars laced on his whole back. Mizore was shaking from the grievous injuries.

"My God... Jin, what happened to you?" she asked in fright.

(Twilight OST ends)

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

Jin slowly looked at Mizore, showing his emotionless face. She began to cringe from the dead look on his face.

"You shouldn't have done that, Mizore-san" he said.

"Tell me... How did you get those scars...? Were you-"

"-butchered by someone?" he finished the question.

Mizore was shaking in fear. She couldn't believe that he endured such torture. Jin took notice of her expression. Reluctant, he answered her question cryptically.

"It was due to the events that happened in Sotoba Village. The night before the fire started" he said.

"What happened before the fire?" Mizore questioned.

Jin looked out at the window for some time. Mizore took notice of his hands reaching to his neck. Slowly, he removed the bandages off. Mizore was starting to feel scared. It wasn't Jin that was scaring her, but what he was about to reveal.

The bandages fell to the floor. He slowly turned, and looked at Mizore. Bite marks on his neck were clearly seen. This made her gasp in surprise.

"Jin... H-how did you get that bite on your neck...? Was it from a vampire?" she asked reluctantly.

"You were close... It was not a vampire, but something related" he said.

Mizore pondered on what he said. She was shaking a little from the bite marks on his neck. From what Jin told her, there were variants of vampires, but she couldn't find out.

"I'll go to Moka and talk with her about it. I won't say anything about your past, but the clues you're giving me are linked to something" Mizore said.

Mizore left his room, giving him time to pull out a box. It had a small camcorder inside. He turned the camcorder on, seeing the videos he made with his friends from Sotoba. The memories made him shed tears quietly, but his face was emotionless. With a sorrowful spirit, he fell asleep for the night.

(Requiem OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau De Vie)

Mizore ran to the female dorms. Rain was starting to happen. She created a canopy of ice to cover herself. Eventually, she made it to Moka's room and knocked on her door.

"Mizore, why are you here?" Moka asked in surprise.

"Moka, this is important... Are there any variants of vampires known?" she asked.

"Why are you asking me that?" Moka questioned.

"This is serious... I need to know" Mizore said.

Moka began to realize what the reason why Mizore asked her was.

"Does this have to do with Jin-san?" Moka asked reluctantly.

Mizore didn't want to lie to her friend, but didn't want to expose anything of what she and Jin talked about. Defeated, she nodded to Moka.

Moka began to think carefully of the matter.

"Hmmm... There are some variants. However, I can't list all of them. There could be as many as 100 variants of my kind. If you need any help, here's a monster book about vampires and their variants" Moka said, offering the book to Mizore.

(Eau De Vie ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

Mizore nodded and thanked Moka. She then went to her room to read the book. She shook her head, trying her hardest to find which variant of vampires Jin was referring to.

'Wait a minute, Jin said something about being a Jinrou. Maybe I can find out what that is' she thought.

Mizore turned the pages to the J-section of the book. However, there was no 'Jinrou' listed in the book. Mizore grumbled, searching for the term.

'Hmmm... Nothing about Jinrou... He did say 'Shiki' to Moka when we first met. Perhaps I could look for that term' Mizore thought carefully.

Mizore went to the S-section to look for the term. Again, the term was not there. She relented, feeling crossed for not finding information.

######

Fazed, she reluctantly went to Moka's room.

"Mizore, have you found what you're looking for?" she asked.

Mizore shook her head. Moka made a downcast look, feeling sorry for her.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find out in time. We just need to give Jin some time" Moka said.

Mizore nodded and went back to her room to sleep. She didn't want to sleep, concerned for Jin. However, her body was exhausted from reading the monster book of vampires.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Several days have past. Jin hasn't been eating, nor interacting with anyone. His friends attempted to talk with him, but he looked increasingly depressed. The teachers took notice of this and tried to help. Nothing worked, making them feel pitiful for the boy.

In one morning, Jin woke up, looking more death-like. His skin became pale, looking more akin to snow. His fingernails turned pure black. Due to lack of eating for several whole days, his body thinned to a near emaciated appearance. He didn't even feed on blood at all, weakening himself. The stress of his emotional torture finally took its toll on him. His brown hair, once vibrant and shiny, now became pure white. When Jin went to the bathroom to wash his face, he noticed the changes. In response, his eyes turned black with red irises. He relented his hair becoming white, making him more of a living skeleton.

Jin slowly put on his clothes for the school. It was midterm day, but Jin didn't want to head outside. Because of midterms, he relented. Everyone around him took a brief look, noticing his white hair.

"What happened to him...? His hair was a vibrant, brown color" a boy asked.

"I don't know... It's probably something stressful that made his hair like that" another boy said.

"I feel bad for him... He looks like a living skeleton now" another boy commented.

Jin had enough and ran outside, not noticing Tsukune, Mizore, and Moka from a distance.

"His hair... It's whitened" Mizore said in shock.

"Could he really be a vampire…?" Tsukune asked reluctantly.

"No... If he was, his hair would've been white this whole time. Plus, I don't sense any yoki coming from him" Moka said.

The three friends pondered on what happened to Jin. They felt melancholy, not wanting to talk with anyone or each other. Before they could think of anything else, Kurumu appeared and clamped on to Tsukune.

"Good morning, Tsukune-kun" Kurumu said.

She noticed Tsukune's lack of response.

"What's wrong, Tsukune?" she asked.

"It's...a tough time for me to answer" Tsukune said somberly.

Kurumu looked at Moka and Mizore, who also looked sad.

"Why are you all in such a downhearted mood?" she asked, tilting her head.

"It's our friend...Sora Jin. He has...changed for the worst" Moka said.

"What happened to him?" Kurumu asked in concern.

"He...has been enduring a lot of...stressful times. We...don't know what caused his...emotional torture. Whatever it did..., it had its effect" Mizore said sobbing.

Kurumu felt sorry for the group. Reluctant, she asked.

"What happened with Jin-san?" she asked.

"Jin's...vibrant, brown hair...has changed...to a pure snow white. H-he looks like a...skeleton now" Mizore answered, crying.

Kurumu silently felt the pain. Tears streamed from her eyes, knowing what they meant.

Tsukune felt like a rock. He couldn't help his friend overcome the mental strain. As a result, his friend now looks more lifeless than usual.

"Damn it... I'm such a fool... I let my friend suffer from what happened to his past. DAMN IT!" he shouted.

######

Jin walked inside the academy building. Everyone looked at Jin, both with surprise and sorrow. Shizuka took notice of Jin's appearance. She felt miserable and sick to her stomach.

'I was too late to help him... His hair has bleached to a white color. Even to a yokai, seeing a natural hair color turn white like that is a sorrowful and horrifying sight' she thought.

Despite the encumbering feeling, Shizuka provided the mid-term tests to everyone. No one made any sounds. The students knew Shizuka looked downhearted, due to Jin.

"Everyone, once you finished all mid-term exams, you're free for the day. Do your best everyone" she said in a fake, cheerful tone.

Jin was able to answer all except one question correctly. Tsukune had some struggling but prevailed with most answers correct. Moka was like Tsukune, but smarter. Mizore had slightly less answers correct than Moka. Kurumu, on the other hand had the most mistakes.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Echo)

Lunch period started. Tsukune and his friends all finished their exams. They were at the school cafeteria. Jin was at a distant table, looking down on the floor. Jin's hunger was getting the best of him. He quickly ran outside, trying to hold his blood thirst at bay. Tsukune and everyone noticed Jin running away.

"We have to follow him. Something is wrong with him" Mizore said in concern.

Tsukune and the others nodded. They have chase to Jin, who ran quicker than the others.

######

Jin was beyond exhausted. His thirst for blood, not to mention his hunger for human food, was slowly killing him. He could feel his Shiki instincts slowly taking over. His sense of smell was heightened, but his sense of self was disappearing.

Tsukune and the other caught up with Jin. Jin was grabbing on his throat fiercely, feeling as though something was burning him. The sensation was torture for his body. To distract him of his thirst, Jin tossed his body like a ragdoll. He tossed himself on the trees to suppress his increasing thirst.

"JIN, STOP IT! YOU'RE HURTING YOURSELF!" Mizore shouted in sorrow.

Jin didn't listen, continuing to throw himself on the trees in increased intensity. Blood was starting to gush from the abrasions.

"Jin! Stop hurting yourself! You're making it harder for us not to restrain you" Tsukune shouted.

Again, Jin didn't listen. His body was crippled, but it kept healing. Jin slowly got up, his bones were making cracking noises. He then dashed at a tree and punched it hard. A powerful shockwave occurred. The tree was destroyed from Jin's punch. Everyone was surprised from the intense strength. To make things scarier, Jin's eyes were black, with the irises glowing red.

"Tsukune, remove the rosary from me. My inner self will help snap him back" Moka said.

He nodded and pulled the rosary off from her neck. Moka's yoki shot out in a pillar of purple light.

 **"Everyone stand back. Jin's stronger than me by a margin. I may be able to get through him by hitting his head, but his strength is something I cannot handle"** Inner Moka warned.

Moka dashed forward, about to kick Jin's head. He noticed and swiftly dodged. Moka then punched him hard on his body, making him spit out blood. She then performed an ax kick which slammed his head down to the ground.

 **"You're pathetic... Consumed by the horrors of your past, you've become nothing more than a soulless person. I don't care what you are now. My outer self and her friends have asked me to bring you back to your senses before either I kill you, or you die on your own"** Inner Moka said darkly.

"Stay away from me" Jin shouted.

Jin's eyes glowed brighter, making everyone's skin crawl. He then charged forward, hitting Moka with a haymaker. The powerful attack sent her to the trees. Moka groaned in pain.

 **"I'll admit, you could've killed me with that one punch alone. Why are you holding back?"** she asked.

Jin looked at Moka, staring at her. Through his eyes, Inner Moka was seeing a brief part of his past. She slowly lost her footing and fell to the ground.

Jin quickly dashed at Moka, hitting her head.

"Don't bother looking at my past. I won't explain about it now" he said darkly.

Moka regained her bearings and quickly drop kicked Jin. This made him hit a tree head first. The impact finally knocked Jin unconscious.

 **"Mizore, you know where his room is?"** Inner Moka asked.

Mizore nodded and she directed them to Jin's room.

######

Jin regained consciousness. He notice Moka, who was still transformed, Mizore, who was sobbing, Tsukune, who looked away in pity and Kurumu, who felt sorry for him.

Before anyone noticed, Inner Moka provided a blood pack and two cans of tomato juice.

 **"Feed. You need to feed, if you want to survive"** she said coldly.

Jin, through his Shiki instincts, quickly went to the blood pack. His human instincts quickly kicked in. In Moka's surprise, he threw the blood pack out of the window.

"Don't ever feed me blood. I do not want to be reminded of what I am" Jin said angrily.

 **"Oh? So you're capable of emotions. Why couldn't you express them?"** Inner Moka asked.

Jin didn't want to answer, but his hunger for blood was overwhelming. He quickly opened a can of tomato and drank its contents down. His skin began to regain its placid color. After drinking the juice, Jin reluctantly answered.

"My past is the reason why I lost my emotions. I'm but a shell of my former self" he said with an emotionless tone.

Moka was irked by his past. However, Mizore was silently shedding tears. She quickly stood near Jin.

"He's had enough! Please, let him be. I'll stay with him for the night" Mizore begged.

Inner Moka scoffed and turn to Tsukune.

 **"Tsukune, be sure to keep an eye out for your friends. Don't give up on their suffering"** Inner Moka said, taking the rosary back from Tsukune.

Inner Moka reattached the rosary back to her choker, she tuned back to normal.

Everyone left the room, except Mizore, who was watching Jin.

"Why were you fighting against your nature?" she asked somberly.

"I wasn't born a monster, Mizore. I was a normal human who wanted to live a normal life" Jin said.

"Even so, that doesn't excuse the fact that you almost killed yourself" Mizore retorted sadly.

Jin said nothing, staring at the ceiling. Before he realized it, Mizore pecked on Jin's cheek.

"Why do you have feelings for a monster like me?" Jin asked.

"We're all monsters Jin. But we all have a heart that makes us act human" Mizore said, countering Jin's question.

(Echo OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Mosaic)

Several days have passed from the incident. Many students were gathering at a particular spot. The school scoreboard was crowded with students. Upon seeing Jin, they became quiet.

Jin walked to the board, alone. He noticed his name on the scoreboard. It was ranked at number 2, nearing his rank as the smartest student.

Tsukune and the others checked their ranks. Moka's was at number 12. Tsukune's was at 15. Mizore was at 20. Kurumu was at 50.

By then, Tsukune and the others noticed Jin. They all felt guilty for the wounds he had.

"Don't feel guilty about me. I'll heal up" he said nonchalantly.

The words, although emotionless, were reassuring. However, upon looking at his white hair. Tsukune and his friends felt the guilt for him return.

######

Elsewhere, the young witch girl was staring at the group.

"Jin-san... I hope you're feeling ok" she said sadly.

"Good job on being number 1, Sendo Yukari" a male voice said.

"No wonder you skip grades. You're not a genius for nothing" another male said.

"You guys... You're with the class representative from my homeroom" Yukari said.

"Even though you may be the smartest student, that doesn't excuse you for dress code violations. This is not Halloween" the leader of the boys said.

"This is not a costume! It's my attire for what I am" Yukari responded.

"As the Class Representative, your existence is but a stain to our class" the boy said.

The followers, along with their leader, laughed at Yukari. In response, Yukari waved her wand secretly. From the air, heavy wash bowls fell, hitting them on their head. Yukari laughed at them.

"Serves you right" she said, sticking her tongue out.

"You...insolent pest... That was a mistake, you snobbish brat" the leader asked angrily.

Immediately, the boys were about to attack Yukari. Unknown to Yukari and the boys, Jin and Moka took notice of the occasion. They quickly dashed to protect Yukari from the boys. Jin went in back of the leader and twisted his hand back.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jin asked coldly, waiting for an answer.

No reply occurred. Jin began to bend the arm in an acute angle. Bones were cracking loudly. The leader shouted out in pain.

"I'll ask again. What the hell are you doing?" Jin asked.

The leader relented.

"We were trying to discipline Sendo Yukari for her action" he said.

Jin let go of the arm, but not without a warning. He looked at Yukari, who was watching him.

"Just because her attire is that of a sorcerer, doesn't mean she should be disciplined. She's acts as a representative to the academy, thanks to her grades. Also, she's a few years younger than you guys, so I'll give you a warning. The next time I see you bully Sendo-san, I'll tear your heads off" Jin said, making his sclera turn black with his irises glowing blood red.

The boys were frightened of Jin's personality. It didn't help that he had an emotionless expression, along with his aura of ice freezing the ground around him. Everyone took notice of Jin and Moka defending Yukari.

"Y-you may have gotten away with this, but don't get cocky!" the leader said.

The boys began to walk away. Jin heard the commentary from them.

"Seriously, that brat's scent makes me want to puke" the leader said.

Jin didn't express it, but he was angry. He calmed himself down. Yukari felt his yoki spike briefly which scared her. However, she calmed down.

(Mosaic OST ends here)

######

In the cafeteria, the group was talking with Yukari. Jin was with the group, but they felt uncomfortable with him.

"You guys can stop feeling uncomfortable with me when I'm near. I'm not going to lash or anything" he said with an irritated tone.

The group composed themselves after hearing Jin.

"So, Yukari-san, you skipped a few grades from what I heard?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm currently 12 years old, hence why I'm here in high school" Yukari said.

"Those guys weren't lying. You really are a genius" Jin complimented.

Mizore watched them interact with each other. She felt a bit jealous of Yukari interacting with Jin. She decided to observe the conversation.

"So... I reckon you were that girl, besides Mizore Shirayuki, that has been following me" he said.

Yukari reluctantly nodded in response.

"What has caught your interest to me?" Jin asked.

"You look like a lonely person... Your eyes have too much pain... Why do you harbor such pain?" Yukari asked.

Jin was hesitant on answering Yukari, due to her young age.

"It's something you don't want to know" he said.

Yukari wasn't convinced, but she knew he was trying to protect her innocence.

"I see... Say, Moka-san, Sora-kun. There's something I want to say" she said.

Jin and Moka looked at Yukari for a moment

"I...like you" she said boldly.

Jin was surprised of the sudden confession. Yukari eventually went to him and hugged him.

"Yukari... You know that I'm a few years older. You have to wait till you get older" Jin said.

Yukari felt sad from Jin's emotionless tone. She hugged him closely, trying to ease his pain. Jin felt sorry for Yukari, who felt pity for him.

"Don't feel pity for me. Stay with Moka instead" Jin said.

Yukari went to Moka, but looked at Jin briefly. Reluctant, she decided to be with Moka.

"So, your attire reminds me of witches. Are you one of them?" Jin asked curiously.

"Yes, I'm a witch. My kind have the ability to use magic. However, we need the use of a wand to help channel our powers" Yukari explained.

In demonstration, she made the food tray fly up and set it down to Jin on the table.

"Impressive" Jin commented with a hint of surprise.

"However, I need to make sure Tsukune doesn't go near Moka" she said in a childish tone.

She levitated several wash bowls and hit Tsukune on the head, knocking him unconscious.

Unknown to the group, the trio of boys that were bullying Yukari were watching them.

"You just violated an academic rule, you brat. I hope you're prepared for the punishment we have for you" the leader sneered.

######

Tsukune was in the infirmary with an ice pack on his head. Kurumu was with him, tending his wounds.

"Are you feeling ok, Tsukune?" she asked tenderly.

"Yes. I'm feeling fine now. Do you know anything about Sendo Yukari?" he asked

Kurumu decided to sit next to Tsukune, who felt nervous.

"I heard rumors about her. She was always a troublemaker in her class. But, I took notice that her classmates were bad mouthing her" Kurumu explained.

Tsukune was surprised about what he heard.

"She's a young girl and a prodigy. Why would the people around her berate her for what she is" he questioned in anger.

"You have a kind heart, Tsukune, but you shouldn't get involved. Her kind are often looked down upon" she said.

Before Tsukune could answer, Yukari appeared from the window. Tsukune realized she was listening to their conversation.

"There's nothing you need to know about me. I'm okay with what I'm dealing with. I've been alone for my whole life" she said.

Deep down, Yukari regretted her words. She began to walk away from them. Moka arrived at the infirmary, noticing Tsukune looking out at the window.

"Whew... I managed... What's wrong, Tsukune?" she asked.

"Moka, we need to find Yukari. I want to talk with her" Tsukune said.

"Ok... But where's Jin and Mizore?" Moka questioned.

"Jin told me he was taking a brief walk to the forest. Don't know where and why... Mizore probably followed him as well" Tsukune said.

Everyone nodded and went out to find Yukari.

######

At the forest, Jin was walking by himself. Nearby, Mizore watched him with a sad face. His white hair glided in the wind, like a white carpet.

"I know you're here, Mizore. You don't have to hide yourself" he said.

Mizore appeared from a nearby tree. She slowly walked to him.

"Jin... You were calm a few weeks ago... Please tell me...what is the cause of your nightmares... Does it have to do with what happened to your home?" she said.

Jin looked away, silently shedding a tear. He then looked back Mizore who made a slight gasp, seeing him shed a tear.

"Yeah... I'm already reaching my breaking point now" he said.

Mizore went to him and hugged him close. She realized that Jin was slowly succumbing to his nightmares. She feared he would commit suicide one day.

"I don't want to lose you, Jin-kun! Even your friends are worried about you! You kept your past hidden from us, making yourself suffer more than you can handle!" she shouted, crying.

Jin felt his heart beat heavily. He felt Mizore's concern and sorrow.

"Mizore... I'm not committing suicide... There are some things that no man or monster shouldn't see. The nightmares I'm forever suffering from are the result of what I saw" he said somberly.

"Still, you should have your friends try and help you" she retorted.

"Anyway, there's something I want to ask. Regarding about witches" Jin said.

"What about them?" Mizore asked.

"I heard several people calling them 'border beings'. What do they mean" Jin asked.

Mizore was reluctant to answer, but did so.

"Witches are beings that are closely related to humans. Because of this, they are often looked down from other yokai. Witches were once hunted by humans, due to belief of them causing mischief. All they wanted was to live peacefully, but were hunted indiscriminately. They live peacefully, away from modern human society" Mizore explained.

This caused Jin to recall a particular memory he didn't want to see. Before he had a chance to calm himself, a loud scream was heard, alerting Jin and Mizore.

######

[Before the scream]

(Play Shiki OST - Mosaic)

Yukari felt the pain of loneliness fester in her. She slowly stopped walking, recalling the comments to her.

"She's just a nuisance. She should've been to another school."

"A brat like her with a disgusting smell... How morbid."

"She's no different than humans. It's beings like her that I hate the most."

Yukari lost her footing and collapsed. Before she could stand, her class representative appeared with his henchmen.

"Wanibuchi Tadashi, why are you here desu?" she asked in surprise.

"A cocky child like you should be disciplined" Tadashi said.

Tadashi's henchmen grabbed Yukari and dragged her to the forest. They threw her to a tree, which made her scream in pain.

######

[After the scream]

(Play Shiki OST - SHI-KI)

Jin and Mizore rushed out, looking for the source of the scream. They eventually saw Tadashi harassing Yukari, who was shaking in fear. Jin was shaking a lot. Mizore noticed him breathing heavily.

"Stay away from me, you beasts" Yukari yelled.

"Shut up... Your voice is making me puke" Tadashi said.

One of his henchmen grabbed Yukari's wand and broke it.

"My magic wand...! Without it, I can't use my spells!" she said in fear.

Jin's shaking was going out of control. Mizore noticed this and was worried.

Jin was recalling a memory from Sotoba, in which he saw a young girl dying from blood loss. She was trying to run, but a pale-looking human appeared and attacked her. The girl was drained from her blood and died. Jin saw the person, who was brown-haired and slightly obese.

Before anyone noticed, a loud, bloodcurdling scream came from Jin. Tadashi and his henchmen noticed the ground freezing over.

######

Moka, Tsukune and Kurumu were looking for Yukari, till they heard a loud scream. They recognized the sound from Jin.

"We have to hurry! Something's wrong with Jin" Tsukune shouted.

Moka and Kurumu nodded. They raced their way to the forest, following the white, icy aura. The aura formed a pillar of white light.

When Tsukune and the others arrived, they noticed Jin making the bloodcurdling scream. They felt his pain and sorrow manifest.

"Yukari... Head to Tsukune and the others" he said in a quiet tone.

Yukari didn't respond and was shaking.

"JUST GO, NOW! I DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE ME LIKE THIS!" he shouted.

Yukari ran to Tsukune and held him tightly. Mizore joined with Tsukune, Moka and Kurumu.

Tadashi and his henchmen were startled by Jin's sudden outburst. He slowly walked towards them, freezing the ground with each step.

"C-changing into your monster form is prohibited" his henchmen said nervously.

Tadashi and his henchmen changed to their monster forms, lizard men. Tsukune responded by pulling Moka's rosary off. This made her transform immediately.

Before anyone realized it, Jin disappeared. He then punched one of the henchmen so hard on the chest, the shock forced his head to fly right off. Blood sprayed all over him.

Tadashi and his remaining henchman were now scared stiff. When Jin turned his face to Tadashi, Tsukune and his friends noticed Jin's face. He was shedding tears and his eyes now had a mixed color. His sclera were black. However, his irises were what's surprising. Instead of red, they turned icy blue, but the outline of his pupil was red.

"S-stay back, monster" Tadashi said.

Jin didn't hear them. He was fully succumbed to his PTSD. The sudden flashback made him snap. He dashed forward and punched Tadashi's last henchman down. The punch didn't kill him, but it encased him in ice. Jin then punched the ice, shattering it with his henchman.

Tadashi couldn't move. He felt the huge killing intent rising from Jin.

"W-what are you...? Are you a Yuki-Otoko?" he questioned in fear.

"I'm not a Yuki-Otoko. I'm a Jinrou" he said coldly.

Jin then grabbed Tadashi and suplexed him down in the ground. The force of the suplex was so strong, Tadashi's body hanged like a potted plant. He was still moving, but couldn't dig his head out.

Tsukune and the others were now scared of him. Moka also felt scared. She dropped to the ground, cringing from the ruthless fight occurring in front of her.

Jin then lifted Tadashi off the ground. He then looked with murderous intent at the lizard man's eyes.

"You bully the weak by ganging up on them. I told you before that I would break your head off if I see you bully Yukari" he said coldly.

Jin was about to attack Tadashi on his head. However, something stopped him. His fist was shaking a lot. He let go of Tadashi, who was still scared.

"Don't let me see you near Yukari-san again. I would keep my threat true, if you even hurt her" Jin said.

Tadashi left the forest and ran back to the school. Jin's hands were shaking like a leaf. He couldn't stop shaking at all. Moka walked up to him in pity.

 **"It seems that your past has done a great deal of damage to you... Forgive me if I was acting rash to find out about your history, but your depressive behavior has been sickening"** she said coldly.

Jin didn't hear Moka. He was trembling. Mizore went up to him and hugged him close. Jin's body started to shake slowly. His shaking finally stopped. Mizore took notice of Jin shedding tears quietly. Everyone looked at him with sadness. Inner Moka felt very sorry for him. Tsukune reattached Moka's rosary back.

(SHI-KI OST ends here)

"Why did you come to protect me?" Yukari asked to everyone.

"We're your friends, Yukari-chan. Friends help each other and stay close together" Tsukune said.

Yukari was surprised of Tsukune's answer. Moka then walked up to her.

"Tsukune's right. Jin's actions showed that he cared for you" Moka said.

Yukari looked at Jin, who was still shedding tears. Yukari was emotionally overwhelmed. She them went to Jin and hugged him close, crying.

######

Several days have passed after the event. Moka, Mizore and Kurumu were walking in the hallway. They were holding boxes and making their way to the storage. The girls began to talk with each other.

"I heard Yukari apologized to everyone in her class" Moka said.

"I noticed. The people also realized their mistake and began to apologize to her" Mizore said.

"I'm glad everything has been sorted. At least Yukari will feel better" Kurumu said.

The girls were opening the door to the storage room. They noticed Yukari holding on to Jin's hand and Tsukune's hand. This surprised the girls.

"Tsukune-san, Jin-san, I like you two" she said affectionately.

"What do you mean by that, Yukari-chan?" Jin asked.

"I like Tsukune as a brother, but I like you more" she said calmly.

Unknown to Yukari and the boys, Moka, Mizore and Kurumu made a sigh of relief. They went to the boys. Mizore got Jin from Yukari's grip and hugged him close. Moka and Kurumu grabbed Tsukune away from Yukari.

'Why am I with these guys?' Jin thought comically.

That's all from here.

Jin's past will be explained in the next few chapters. Be prepared for it.

Any questions, PM me.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Club sign-ups and perverts. Jin's ice powers revealed and a thunderhead.

I do not own anything from both series.

Jin was walking to his class. Mizore was holding his left hand, which he didn't mind. Several students noticed the interaction of them. Needless to say, some were jealous. Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Tsukune noticed them nearby. They all smiled for him.

"Good morning you two" Tsukune said.

"Good morning" Jin said emotionlessly.

"Good morning" Mizore said in a calm tone.

Mizore was looking at Jin's hair carefully. His hair didn't change at much, remaining all white. She still felt guilty for Jin, but not as much as before. She was glad that Jin was recovering.

######

In the classroom, Shizuka noticed Jin looking and acting normal. She composed herself to make an announcement.

"Everyone, hear me out. Today, we'll be discussing about clubs. The purpose of these clubs is to make sure you guys learn how humans interact. Signing up for clubs is a requirement so please do so" Shizuka said.

'Great... What a predicament... Signing up for clubs just for academic purposes... Obviously, the Director or Headmaster is enforcing this' Jin thought with irritation.

Mizore went to Jin and grabbed his hand.

"Do you want to see which club would suit you best?" she asked.

Jin nodded reluctantly. By then, Mizore quickly pulled him up and ran outside. Jin was acting like a flying cloth, holding on to Mizore's hand, keeping a comical, expressionless face.

Moka also went to Tsukune.

"Ne Tsukune... Can we head out and see which club would be ok for us?" Moka asked cutely.

Tsukune nodded with a smile. They both went outside to search.

######

Outside, Jin and Mizore were looking at several clubs. Some looked normal, others were questionable... Moka and Tsukune had their encounters and they didn't want to deal with the clubs that looked frightful.

"Is there a normal club here?" Jin asked with a hint of irritation.

"There should be some clubs here. Be careful though. Sometimes, they aren't what they seem to be" Mizore said.

"I'll take that under advisement" Jin said.

The couple were near the swimming club. Both felt uncomfortable with the club.

"I reckon we should keep looking. This club doesn't seem right" Jin commented.

"I agree. Let's go find some more clubs" Mizore said.

After an hour of searching, the ice couple couldn't find a particular cub they like.

"~Sigh~... We couldn't find one at all…" Mizore said depressingly.

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

Jin was sitting on the ground, tired from the random shenanigans from cub leaders. He then stood up.

"Mizore-chan, I'm sure we might find the club we need" he said, expressing a serious behavior

Mizore was startled by Jin's sudden change of attitude. She also took notice of how he added the -chan honorific. This made her blush.

Jin looked at Mizore in confusion.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I-It's nothing" she said in a stutter.

Jin shook his shoulders in response. Before anyone could talk, Jin saw Tsukune and Moka at the swimming club.

"Tsukune, you better keep away from that club" Jin said.

"What do you mean?" Mizore questioned.

"My friend is about to enter the swimming club" Jin said.

Mizore's face turned pure white. She was now concerned for Moka.

"We have to get Moka away from the school pool" she said desperately.

"What's the problem in that matter?" Jin questioned.

"Vampires have a serious problem with water... If even a drop touches her skin, it can physically hurt her. Water contains strong purifying properties to them" Mizore explained.

Jin was now concerned for Moka and Tsukune.

'Damn it... Tsukune hasn't realized much about a vampire's physiology. Plus, he's in a trap with the recruiters. I have a feeling this won't be anything good' Jin thought in concern.

Mizore noticed Jin's facial expression. He was showing an expression of concern.

'He's starting to express more of his emotions. Maybe he might recover soon' Mizore thought smiling.

######

At the swimming club, an event was occurring. It looked like a pool sports event. Mizore and Jin briefly surveyed the area to find Tsukune.

'Ugh... Talk about a perverted Wipeout show... I'm surprised Yukari-chan and Kurumu-san are participating... How petulant' Jin thought, shaking his head.

Mizore found Moka sitting on the fence, away from the pool. She looked a little miserable. Tsukune was wearing swimming trunks, but didn't go into the water. He only watched, not liking the eerie feeling he was getting.

"Moka-san, if you don't like this club, we can search for another one" Tsukune suggested.

Moka smiled. Tsukune was about to head to the changing room, till a female swimmer came up from the pool. She grabbed Tsukune's leg and dragged him in the pool. He heard a shout from a male club attendant.

Moka noticed Tsukune was in danger, but she couldn't get in the water. Mizore came to Moka's sight, along with Jin. However, Jin was starting to shake. Mizore and Moka noticed Jin was losing his balance.

Kurumu and Yukari were arguing over one's appearance. When they heard a male person scream, they directed their attention to the situation.

######

Tsukune noticed the male attendant suddenly aging rapidly. His hair turned from chocolate brown to snow white and his skin looked sickly as an old person.

"What's happening here?" Tsukune questioned anxiously.

"Oh, it looks they have been too hasty for their feeding. I can't blame them for that. Mor importantly, I've had my eyes on you, Tsukune. You have a delicious smell" a woman said, showing a fish tail.

"You are!" Tsukune said in shock.

"I'm a mermaid" she said.

######

"Mermaids exist!?" Jin asked in shock.

"Yes... They're known as the banshee of the seas. Mermaids are infamous foot luring sailors to their watery grave through their beauty. Any ship that disappeared was the result of Mermaids" Moka explained.

"I know about you, Akashiya Moka. You're a vampire, so you can't touch water directly" the woman said.

The mermaid splashed some water to Moka, but Jin quickly protected her by freezing the drop before they touched her. The frozen drops floated, then fell to the ground.

Moka looked at Jin, who was still shaking. She heard his heart rate increasing.

"Mizore, Jin's suffering from a flashback again! Stop him before he goes berserk!" Moka shouted.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

However, it was too late. Jin shouted out to the heavens. His eyes turned icy blue. He then slowly walked to the pool.

"It's a fatal mistake for you to go to water. It's a mermaid's territory" the mermaid said.

"That may be the case, but I wonder how cold-blooded creatures like you fare with ice" Jin said coldly.

With a simple touch from his outstretched index finger, Jin froze the pool. He directed the freezing effect away from Tsukune and the male victims, creating small, water holes for them to escape the pool. Every mermaid was frozen alive.

"T-t-thanks for the save, Jin" Tsukune said, shivering a little.

Jin didn't respond. He collapsed from mental shock, forced to relive another horrible memory.

Tsukune went to Moka, concerned for her. Mizore went to Tsukune, disappointed of his choice of the swimming club.

"You nearly caused a lot of harm to my friend, Tsukune-san. I know you realize that Moka is a vampire, but what you don't realize is why she can't stay in water. Water acts as a powerful purifying agent to vampires. If possible, it can kill them" Mizore said.

Tsukune felt guilty, not realizing Moka's constant need to avoid water.

"Is... Is there a way for a vampire to resist water through any means?" Tsukune asked.

Mizore looked at Tsukune in surprise.

"I'll answer, but answer this question. Why did you choose the swimming club, in spite of Moka looking stressed from the water" Mizore questioned.

"I wanted to see Moka smile and enjoy herself. I like seeing her smile once in a while. It just makes me feel comfortable to be with her. It's something about her that draws me to her" Tsukune said.

Mizore was somewhat surprised of Tsukune's bold answer. She then snorted.

"You care for Moka just to see her smile? I'm surprised... Most guys don't show that kind of pure-hearted statement to her. I've seen how some of the guys look at her like she was an object. Your statement is more than enough to convince me" Mizore said.

Tsukune paid attention to Mizore, who was about to explain on how vampires resist water.

"In order for vampires to survive from the adverse effects of water, they use herbs. Mint, basil, any herb that is beneficial to humans can be used to deal with the problem" Mizore explained.

Mizore then went to Jin, who was still shaking. She hugged him close to try and alleviate the shaking. He started to calm down, but had a horrified expression.

######

It was a rainy day at Yokai academy. For Mizore and Tsukune, it was a glum day. Both felt depressed from yesterday's events. Moka and Jin were not present in the classroom.

"It's all my fault" Tsukune said somberly.

"It wasn't your fault, Tsukune-san. You didn't know about a vampire's greatest weakness" Mizore said.

Even though Mizore tried to reassure Tsukune, she also felt guilty. The constant relapses of Jin experiencing flashbacks have been increasing. It worried her greatly that he would go insane.

(Requiem OST ends)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

After classes have ended, Tsukune went to the female's dorm to talk with Moka, despite talking with the female dorm manager. Mizore snuck her way to Jin, who looked terrible. A frightened expression was matted on his face.

"Jin, calm down! You're just revisiting the past" Mizore shouted.

Jin was able to snap back. He then looked at Mizore, showing his blackened eyes. Mizore knew he has been sparingly feeding. She then slowly pulled the collar of her shirt away from her neck. Jin was startled, and moved away from her.

"Don't make me feed on you, Mizore-chan! For all that is worth, I don't want to feed on blood anymore!" Jin shouted.

"You have to! Whatever your kind is, your strength is tailored by how much blood you're feeding... Without it, you won't survive against a fight from a yokai here" Mizore sadly retorted.

Jin felt his spirit get crushed. He felt his human conscious slowly slipping. His Shiki instincts were starting to take over. He slowly moved to Mizore's neck and bit her. The blood from her was cold, but the crisp flavor was enough for him to feel satisfied.

Jin felt his spirit growing heavier. Mizore moaned while Jin fed on her blood. He eventually stopped drinking.

"It's ok, Jin-kun. You can have more" Mizore said.

"No more... I don't want to take any more blood from you" he said.

Jin's blackened eyes turned back to normal. However, a heartbreaking sight appeared to Mizore. Jin was shedding tears, holding himself in desperation. He couldn't take the burden of his physiology. Mizore went up to him, holding him close. She pondered on why Jin was shedding tears.

"Jin, are you feeling ok?" she asked.

"I'm not feeling ok! I'm forever haunted with what I've become! I never asked to become what I am I never wanted this" he said.

Jin's breathing was very erratic. He then fainted from shock, which got Mizore concerned.

"Jin-kun! Get a hold of yourself! Jin-kun! JIN-KUN!"

Mizore's shouting was fruitless. Jin was unconscious from the shock. His white hair has spread to the floor, giving it an allusion to the sun. Mizore waited till Jin regained consciousness.

(Day and Night OST ends)

######

An hour has past. Jin finally woke up from his recent episode of a psychological breakdown. He noticed Mizore, who was watching him with worry.

"Jin, are you feeling ok?" she asked.

Jin nodded his head, but kept an emotionless look. The lack of expression on his face was a pained sight for her.

Mizore was then thinking about how Jin was able to manipulate ice. Her curiosity grew as she looked at him.

"Jin-kun, I need to know something. How were you able to manipulate ice?" she asked.

Jin was surprised on her sudden question but answered.

"My ability to manipulate ice was a mystery for me. I didn't knew how, but one time, I suddenly created a small blizzard. It was at a mountain resort during the winter which made me realize this power. It's like your kind, isn't it" Jin asked.

"Yes. Yuki-Onna and Yuki-Otoko are capable of manipulating ice. From what I could understand, you might have a preference in climates, which may have developed your powers" Mizore said.

"Maybe, but I don't know" Jin said.

The couple looked at each other for a brief time. Mizore then changed to her true form.

"I know you have seen it a few times, but this how I look in my true form" Mizore said.

Jin looked at her, mesmerized by her appearance.

"It doesn't bother me, Mizore-chan. You look beautiful" he said.

Mizore felt her heart skip a beat. Before she realized it, Jin manifested his ice powers. His white hair looked like ice, but it flowed naturally. His eyes became icy blue.

"Y-you can control the ice as though it's a part of you" Mizore said in shock.

Jin stopped using his cryokinesis. Mizore quickly went to Jin, her heart was still beating. She slowly moved closer to his face till she kissed him.

"M-Mizore-chan" Jin stuttered, blushing.

Mizore smiled, knowing Jin had feelings for her.

######

Tsukune was with Moka in her room. He looked guilty, feeling the increasing weight on his shoulders. Moka took notice of Tsukune's guilt.

"Mizore told me yesterday that you didn't know. Although I'm a little crossed of your reckless behavior, you didn't know about a vampire's weakness" Moka said in an attempt to break the ice.

"Even so, I was foolish... I only wanted to see you smile and have fun" Tsukune said.

"Tsukune... I'll forgive you" Moka said.

"Moka... I realized that you use herbs to help neutralize the purifying effects of water. Mizore told me the specific herbs you use. The good thing is, I'm growing two patches of herbs. They're mint and basil" Tsukune explained.

Moka perked up from hearing Tsukune's explanation. She looked at him with concern.

"Tsukune, I'm glad you're concerned for me. Maybe when I go to places that have swimming areas, you have an herb ready for me to use" Moka said.

The couple smiled. Before Tsukune realized it, Mika hugged him tightly.

"Tsukune, may I please suck your blood?" she asked cutely.

Tsukune nodded and moved his head, exposing his neck. Moka went to his neck and bit it.

"Capu-chu!"

Blood filled with life flowed into her mouth. She enjoyed the taste of the liquid.

"Thank you, Tsukune. Your blood is the sweetest" Moka said.

######

Two days have passed. Jin was with Mizore, while Tsukune was with Moka. Much to their ire, no club provided a good first impression.

"We couldn't find a decent club to attend. The club leaders all gave bad impressions" Tsukune said.

"Don't worry. We'll find a club sooner or later" Moka said.

"We just need to keep looking. The ones we looked at are no good" Mizore said.

"Just hope that it doesn't involve anything with perverted people. That's the last thing I need" Jin complained.

By then, Shizuka noticed the group. She was in the teacher's lounge and she poked her head out of the window.

"Nyaa~. Have you guys found a club to sign up to?" she asked jovially.

"The clubs we checked are not with our satisfactory opinions. Nothing but perverts and trouble" Jin explained with venom in his voice.

Shizuka's hair was raised from her skin due to Jin's cold tone. She felt frightened of him, seeing his eyes glow with unnatural power.

"Em... There's a club that you 4 can sign up to" she said in a shivered tone.

Everyone took notice of Jin's eyes in their jinrou state. Moka, Mizore, Yukari and Tsukune were frightened from the venom-laced words from him.

"What club is it?" Jin questioned.

"It's the newspaper club. The previous club members have graduated and it only has one member currently" Shizuka explained.

Jin calmed down, but was still wary.

'If the president is a perverted idiot, I would not be responsible for his icy prison' Jin thought.

Mizore's concern was growing. Jin's angered expression was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She knew that he was trying to protect her, but she didn't want him to snap.

"All right... We'll have a look though. Just make sure the president of the club doesn't do anything funny" Jin warned.

Shizuka nodded and told the group which room to head to.

######

Inside the club room, the group noticed it looking very quiet and dull.

"I'll be right back to bring the current member. He'll arrive to this room shortly" Shizuka said.

Everyone waited patiently till a bishonen appeared. The male's appearance showed black, ultra-mafic hair that shined. He was wearing a pendent that consists of a head of a wolf. A red headband was worn near the front side of his hair, obscured by his bangs.

(Play Shiki OST Muddy Water)

"Everyone, this is Morioka Ginei. He's the current president of the Newspaper Club. I'm off to the teacher's lounge so he will tell you what the club does" Shizuka said, leaving the room.

'How aloof and irresponsible' Jin and Tsukune thought.

"Hi everyone. My name is Morioka Ginei, but you can call me Gin" Gin said.

"Pleased to meet you, Gin-sempai" Tsukune said, bowing to him politely.

Gin nodded but didn't respond. He went to the girls and introduced himself.

"Pleased to meet you ladies. Hope we can all work together" he said, pulling several bouquets of roses. The girls did not like the sudden introduction.

Jin noticed, making him wary of the club leader. Mizore went to Jin, holding on to his arm.

"Sorry sempai. But I have a boyfriend already" Mizore said, clearly not interested with Gin.

'It's ok. I can get Moka for myself' Gin thought, making a weird smile.

The girls were sorting boxes of the club while Tsukune and Jin were fixing up the room to create newspapers.

"Is this high enough for the boxes to be sorted?" Moka asked.

"No. Go higher" Gin responded.

The girls were standing tip-toed. Gin crouched down, looking underneath their skirts. Tsukune and Jin noticed Gin crouching. Gin's nose began to bleed. Immediately, they recognized what was happening. Jin quickly stuffed Gin's nostrils with his fingers and forcefully lifted his nose up painfully.

"What do you think you are doing?" Jin asked coldly.

Gin couldn't answer. He struggled to breathe from his nose. Eventually, he punched Gin's face hard. This caught the attention of Moka, Kurumu and Mizore.

"What happened?" Moka questioned.

The girls looked at the sudden occurrence. They noticed Jin, who was shaking furiously.

"Make a perverted move like that and I'll bust your skull open" he said coldly.

Tsukune knew he was being protective, but the furious shaking was enough for him not to get close. He didn't want to get in front of the jinrou's wrath.

"Jin, calm down. We won't understand if you just attack right now" Mizore said in concern.

Jin couldn't speak as he felt sick to his stomach. He felt miserable, not liking his sudden rush in battle. Tsukune decided to talk with the girls regarding about Jin's behavior.

"...Jin was protecting you guys because Gin was peaking underneath your skirts" Tsukune finished.

The girls briefly believed him, but the boys had no evidence. Immediately, Jin looked at Gin with his eyes turning black for a split second, before turning back to normal.

"It's ok... We'll have club activities tomorrow" Gin said.

"That was weird" Yukari commented.

(Muddy water OST ends)

######

The next day, Jin was sulking in his head. He didn't like what Gin had done. If anything, it made him pretty edgy. Despite not wanting to attend a club, he reluctantly arrived at the newspaper club. Gin was the first to take notice.

"Jin-san, you're right on time" Gin said, getting close to him.

Immediately, Jin held on to Gin's hand forcefully, squeezing it. This made Gin gasp in pain and surprise.

'What is this guy...? Better be careful with him' Gun thought.

"Don't bother wasting your time on me. I don't like how perverts take advantage of their authority" Jin said coldly.

Gin merely looked at him with an uncomfortable feeling welling up in him. He could sense the hostility coming from his voice.

'If I'm going to get at Moka and Mizore, I may have to be forceful. Tsukune looks easy to fool, but Jin won't. Why does he have such an emotionless face?' Gin thought.

Mizore didn't want to chat with Gin, but he noticed his curiosity of Jin.

"Is there something you want to know about my boyfriend?" the Yuki-Onna asked.

"I'm curious about his emotionless look. Is he capable of expressing emotions...? I don't think anyone should have that kind of face at his age" Gin questioned.

Mizore felt terrible, knowing what she may have to say. Reluctant, she decided to explain.

"I only know bits and pieces of what Jin told me. As far as I can tell, he was one of the few survivors of Sotoba Village" Mizore said quietly.

Gin gasped. He looked at Jin, who was looking out at the window. His face was marred with sadness and hate.

"The...village that was burned down from a forest blaze...? My God... I didn't know" he said in sympathy.

'A guy like him is too young to have such emotions... He looks as though he has seen too much' Gin thought in concern.

Having been revealed of Jin's background, he decided not to be forward to Moka or Mizore. Gin then composed himself. He began to make an announcement.

"Ahem... Today, we're going to write about a specific topic. A peeping tom has been appearing at the girl's gym locker room. No one knows who the person is. The victims only caught a glimpse of the being for a split second. Luckily, none of the victims were injured or harassed. I need you all to investigate this rumor and find details about it" Gin said.

"What about you?" Jin asked warily to Gin.

"I'll have a look around the academy to find the peeper" he said.

Jin decided to play safe and went with Mizore.

Tsukune went with Moka, Yukari and Kurumu to talk with the female victims.

######

Mizore and Jin were perched up to a tree. They both had a cautious look to see who the peeping tom was. They noticed a figure looking like a furry person. Oddly enough, Jin and Mizore noticed Gin, taking the photos from a nearby hill.

'Hmmm... That's pretty obvious Gin is not the peeper, despite his perverted ways. If that's not Gin, then that must be another person' Jin thought.

Gin took notice of the figure and took several photos. The figure moved with a faint crackle of electricity.

'This isn't good... The peeper may be an electric yokai' Gin thought with worry.

######

Tsukune, Kurumu and Moka were interrogating the victims. They provided some details on how the peeping tom was shown for a split second. Each time the peeper disappears, faint electric currents are heard. The strange part is the growling noises that have been heard coming on the rooftop.

"Hmmm... It sounds pretty vague, but it sounds like a fast yokai... Question is, what yokai has the capability to move fast and emit electricity?" Tsukune questioned.

 **[It's probably from a Raijin, judging by the traces of electricity]** a voice said.

"My rosary...! How are you doing this" Moka questioned in surprise.

 **[I'm using the rosary as a medium to talk with you. Anyway, that person, Gin... He'll help find the being responsible]** Inner Moka said.

The rosary stopped glowing, leaving the couple bewildered.

"A raijin...? Those are legendary yokai capable of emitting lightning" Outer Moka said.

"That isn't good. Catching one is essentially similar to attempting to catch a lightning bolt. We need a...lightning rod" Kurumu said while staring out.

Moka giggled from Kurumu's suggestion.

"Since the Raijin is a pervert, we can lure it through any objects of perversion" Moka said.

"It seems audacious, but we don't have much of a choice" Tsukune said.

"Audacious, but it's a decent way for a pervert to take the bait" Yukari said.

######

Mizore and Jin watched Gin taking photos of the beast with ease.

"This'll help on busting the real pervert" Gin said.

"Good thing too" Mizore said, startling Gin.

"Whoa! Don't surprise me like that" he said comically.

"Let's not fool around... Gin, have you got the photos of the peeping tom?" Jin asked.

"Indeed I do. The person may be fast, but I'm also quick" he said proudly.

Jin and Mizore sweat-dropped. They began to think of a way to stop the pervert.

"I have a feeling Moka would have an idea by now" Mizore said.

"Knowing you two, you might have thought the same thing" Jin commented emotionlessly.

Mizore giggled but Jin kept his emotionless face.

Gin felt bad for him. The emotionless tone, not to mention his expression, is akin to looking at a soulless person.

"Let's join with Moka and the others. We might be able to bust this case down" Gin said.

######

Everyone regrouped to the club room. They began to discuss details regarding about the peeping tom and ways to trap him.

"Any idea how we can catch the raijin?" Tsukune asked.

"Anything perverted in nature would catch his attention" Moka said.

"It isn't difficult. A girl's underwear, perverted magazines-" before Kurumu could suggest anything else, Jin froze her mouth shut.

"I generally don't want to hear anymore perverted stuff" he said coldly.

Mizore giggled from Jin not wanting to hear anything perverted. Gin merely shivered from his cold tone.

'This changes everything... I definitely don't want to go near Moka or Mizore if he's around' he thought in a scared tone.

By then, a series of photos fell on the floor. Everyone looked at the photos, showing girls changing in the gym changing room. Immediately, an icy aura encased Jin.

(Insert Shiki OST - Echo)

Jin started to levitate, scaring everyone. His eyes turned icy blue, becoming lighter in the aura. His body pointed towards Gin. In an icy tone, Jin muttered two words.

"Absolute Frost!"

The effect was immediate. The moment Jin uttered the name, Gin was completely frozen. Mizore was shaking from the intensity of the cold air. She couldn't believe that such cold air could be harsh enough to affect her.

"Jin, calm down... Gin may have found a way to lure the Raijin so we could catch it. Although we'll question him about the photos he took" Mizore said.

The cold aura dissipated. His eyes went back to a sapphire, blue color. His aura was still flowing, but appeared calmer.

"I don't like perverts at all" he said.

Tsukune chuckled from Jin's emotionless response. Moka and Mizore merely laughed as they noticed Gin doing a weird pose in the ice. Yukari laughed as well. By then, Jin shattered it, freeing Gin.

Gin was shivering from the icy temperature.

'Definitely need to stay away from him... To be capable of freezing even molecular activity is more than enough to trap yokai for eternity. How scary' Gin thought with fear.

(Echo OST ends here)

######

It was night time when the plan started. The newspaper club waited at the rooftop, leaving a couple of Gin's perverted photos on the floor. They were hiding near the staircase.

By then, a flash of lightning appeared and a male with lightning, yellow hair appeared. He was wearing the male uniform of yokai academy. He giggled perversely, getting the photos. Immediately, Jin's aura spiked once again. The aura became a small shock wave.

"Who's there!? Show yourself!" the male said.

Jin walked slowly to the guy, not bothering to be concern for his safety. Immediately, Jin's hair became icy. His body grew paler, and his eyes became icy blue. The cold air seeped at the male student.

"You must be the peeping tom and a raijin, are you not?" Jin asked coldly.

"So what if I am?" the raijin asked in a cocky tone.

"This is what you'll expect... COCYTUS!"

The freezing effect was spreading rapidly. The ground was turned into ice and quickly enshrouded the raijin. He had no time to escape and was frozen solid. Jin collapsed in fatigue.

"Jin...! Are you ok!?" Mizore asked in concern.

Jin was breathing heavily but his fatigue was harsh enough to prevent him from speaking. Mizore noticed his eyes were turning black again.

'How...? He took a good drink last time...! Maybe he didn't drink any tomato juice' Mizore thought in concern.

She exposed her neck, giving Jin the need to feed on Mizore's blood. Everyone saw Jin's black eyes with his pupils glowing red. They were all shocked of seeing this.

"Although we've caught glimpses of his eyes like that, he looks scary if we look at them" Tsukune said shaking.

Moka's rosary began to glow as Inner Moka watched in interest. Everyone heard a bite sound and heard Mizore make a slight moan. Jin was feeding on Mizore's blood, which was satisfying to him. After two gulps, he released Mizore calmly.

"Mizore, are you ok?" Moka asked in concern.

"I'm fine, but Jin isn't" she said, pointing to Jin.

He was shaking uncontrollably. It looked as though he was shivering in ice. Yukari walked to Jin with concern. She then touched his head with her magic wand. By then, a series of memories flooded into her mind. Yukari screamed loudly, surprising everyone. She was shedding tears and shaking as well.

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

"What happened, Yukari-chan?" Tsukune asked in concern.

Yukari went to Tsukune and hugged him for dear life.

"It...was...horrible...for what I...saw" she said while shaking.

"What did you do?" Mizore asked.

Yukari composed herself, but she was still scared.

"I...used a mind-reading spell to see what was making him like this. His memories...were awful... I...don't think anyone...would stay same it even recover...from what he saw" Yukari explained while shaking.

Everyone, even Inner Moka pondered what she meant. The only clue they had was Yukari's reaction. Jin's shaking was starting to slow down. He then walked to the young witch.

"I told you... There are some things that a young child shouldn't see" Jin said emotionlessly.

Jin began to walk away, isolating himself from the newspaper club. He didn't want to say anything else, not interact with anyone. Gin felt very sorry for him. Upon seeing Yukari's scared face, he now realized that Jin endured something so horrific, it made him how he is.

"What should we do with the peeping tom?" Tsukune asked.

"I have an idea" Kurumu said.

######

The next morning, the frozen raijin was about to break free, but noticed a large number of female students glaring at him. Unfortunately, the lightning beast noticed the ice starting to melt, making him worry.

'This can't be good' he thought.

The ice broke, causing him to be beaten to a pulp.

The newspaper club were publishing newspapers of the peeping tom, revealed to be a student named Kaminari Raiken. They took brief glances to the peeping tom, who tried to run, but was caught.

"Glad that's over with" Jin muttered.

Mizore giggled, hearing Jin's words. She then hugged him close.

"Say, we didn't had a chance to ask this question... How did you get your ice powers Jin" Moka asked curiously.

Jin reluctantly answered, knowing the others would question him as well.

"My ice powers came when I lost my humanity. I didn't knew I was capable of cryokinesis, but it was there. I'm not sure what I can attribute to, but all I know is, it has been with me the before the day Sotoba burned" Jin explained emotionlessly.

(Requiem OST ends here)

That's all from here. Sorry I took so long. Writer's block at its worst. I'm still here.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Final exams and summer vacation. An icy rage.

I don't own anything from both series.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

The newspaper club members were walking to school. They didn't take notice of a voluptuous woman walking behind them from a far distance.

Several male students took notice of the woman. She was wearing a tight, white business shirt and a leather miniskirt. She was wearing a pair of black high heels.

"Hey... That's the math teacher, Ririko Kagome-sensei, isn't it?" asked one of the male students.

"Yes, it is! She's looking sexy today" another one said.

By then, a strong breeze blew across the area, lifting her skirt up.

"Oh no... Π*r^2!" she said in an embarrassed tone.

Unfortunately for the males who witnessed the event, they had a violent nosebleed. Ririko merely chuckled, seeing the boys faint from their nosebleeds.

Jin began smelling blood and felt uncomfortable. Upon seeing the students' nose bleeding, it made him nearly divulge to his Shiki instincts. Luckily, he had a can of tomato juice to curb his thirst. No one noticed him chugging his can down quickly.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

In the classroom, Ririko was teaching math class in a passionate way. This made Tsukune and Jin somewhat uncomfortable of her jovial attitude. At times, she would approach a male student and ask for an answer, which made them nervous.

"For the formula of the cone, you calculate the Volume by multiplying π and the radius. Don't forget to square the radius before doing so. You then divide the total by 3. After finding the circle portion, multiply the results of the circle with the height. That's the area of a cone" Ririko said.

'She's not someone I should not be near... She's completely passionate of her teaching to the point she acts like a succubus' Jin thought.

Meanwhile, Tsukune was having a hard time understanding the subject. Jin, despite his uneasiness, took notes, clearly showing he was able to understand the teaching.

'I can't understand this formula at all... It's both weird and stressful. This is going to be a serious problem' Tsukune thought in a panic.

By then, Ririko went to Tsukune. This made Jin keep his guard up.

"Aono-kun, can you tell me the answer if r = 6 and h = 12?" She questioned.

Tsukune was panicking. He had little understanding of the geometric formula. He looked at the teacher in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, sensei... I do not understand how to use the formula" Tsukune said reluctantly.

Most of the students except for Mizore, Moka, Jin, Yukari, and Kurumu laughed.

"That won't do any good for you, Aono-kun. You need to pay attention if you want to pass your finals" Ririko said with a sultry tone.

The newspaper club didn't like the tone from the teacher. In fact, they were on guard for anything.

(Twilight OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

The newspaper club was on a study hall. They were reviewing for the math classes. Tsukune asked for Moka's help to provide tips on how to understand mathematical formulas.

"This is how you solve the formula of the cone, Tsukune" Moka said.

He began to understand it more thanks to Moka's help. Jin was tutoring with Mizore, who had some difficulties with geometry.

"If you need to know the perimeter of the two shapes, you'll have to find their individual values. Since the square has 4 equal sides, you can add 8 on all sides. To make it simple, multiply the number by 4 and the perimeter of the square is 32. Now, finding the perimeter of an equilateral triangle is essential the same principle, except you're multiplying by 3. Since one of the sides is 13, there's no question the others are the same. 13 times 3 equals to 39. Now that you have both perimeters, add 32 and 39 and you'll get 71 as your final answer" Jin explained.

Mizore took the notes carefully as well. She smiled as Jin was acting like a tutor, despite his emotionless face. She felt more confident to pass the exam with ease.

Yukari and Kurumu felt left out and decided to get attention through their means. Kurumu truly had little understanding in academics, prompting Yukari to tutor her. Yukari was not called a prodigy for nothing. Despite her age, she provided explanations like a college professor. Kurumu was able to understand to some degree.

(Crimson OST ends here)

The group eventually took a break from the studying. Kurumu looked irritated from something. This got the attention of the newspaper club.

"What's wrong Kurumu-chan? You seem a bit upset" Tsukune asked.

"Oh... I'm sorry. It's about that math teacher, Ririko-sensei. Something about her makes me irritated. From what I heard from the female students, she takes teaching too far at times. From what I heard, she has a tendency to act lustfully to the male students. At the same time, she demeanors the female students. It pissed me off when I hear that. Almost like she goes boing-boing" Kurumu said, making her chest bounce.

Moka looked at her chest in concern. Jin and Tsukune had the decency to look away and forget on what Kurumu said. However, Jin took notice of Kurumu's explanation.

'I knew I shouldn't be near that teacher. Tsukune and possibly I will be targeted by that teacher. If she attempts to do anything, she'll regret it' Jin thought.

By then, Yukari decided to act playfully to Kurumu.

"Oh? I never thought I would hear you get jealous at an older woman like that, Kurumu. Starting to feel small compared to her? That's pretty childish" Yukari asked in a cheeky tone.

Kurumu then smirked, deciding to play with her.

"Yukari... You're the one that is a child. You're also the one who has a flat chest. There's literally nothing here" Kurumu said, touching Yukari's chest to emphasize her point.

She quickly went behind Kurumu and groped her chest from behind, making Kurumu moan and laugh.

"I may be a child, but I'm still growing. Plus it's better than having something big and useless" Yukari said.

"You're going to make them bigger. You fool... My chest's alluring feature is their softness, not the size" Kurumu said bashfully.

Yukari smirked and looked at Kurumu. Jin and Tsukune were watching the duo playfully arguing about bust sizes, much to their chagrin.

"Could you two cut it out for once and focus on the situation at hand…?" Jin said with discomfort.

'Leave it to Jin for stopping a playful fight like this... Thank goodness too... Those two were making an embarrassing fuss for me' Tsukune thought nervously.

Unknown to everyone, Mizore took a peak at her bust and made a shy smile. Her face blushed red, knowing her appearance would make Jin fall in love with her. Jin, from the corner of his eye, noticed Mizore blushing. When he looked at her, she blushed up and looked away from him.

'Somehow, I'm getting the impression that Mizore was looking at herself to reassure her thoughts' Jin thought.

Yukari then announced something to the club.

"I almost forgot to mention, if you guys don't score 55 or above, you'll have to take remedial classes for the summer" Yukari said.

Tsukune had a panicked look for a brief moment. This made the girls giggle while Jin remained impassive.

"I'll definitely be able to pass. Moka, your tutoring helped me deal with the math formulas for me. You made them simple enough for me to understand them" Tsukune said.

Moka smiled from hearing Tsukune's confidence speech. She decided to talk with him privately.

"Tsukune, if you don't mind, can we talk outside?" she asked.

Tsukune nodded and they both went outside to talk.

Everyone else got ready to head back to their dorms.

######

The sun was starting to set. Near the entrance of the academy, Tsukune and Moka were talking with each other.

"Um... If it's not much, you can come over to my dorm room. I have my notes to help prepare you for the exams" Moka said shyly.

"I-I'll come over to study with you. But what about your best friend?" Tsukune asked.

"Don't worry. I'm sure Jin-kun is also helping Mizore. She's often with him for the most part" Moka said.

"Okay. I'll come over" Tsukune said.

Before anyone could move, Ririko appeared.

"Ara, Aono-kun. Having club activities at this time?" Ririko asks.

"W-we were having a study group for the exams" Tsukune said.

"A study group? That's no good at all" she said.

Tsukune and Moka noticed a slight tone of jealousy from the teacher.

"I'll commend you of your passion to study. However, if a large group of students gather, then they'll all fool around and not learn anything" Ririko explained.

"That's not true" Tsukune responds.

"He's right. Tsukune was working hard with our friends" Moka said, supporting him.

Ririko interrupted Moka of her explanation.

"Akashiya-san, you can't help Aono-kun at all. No matter how good your grades are, you need a professional educator to teach someone else" she said.

This made Moka and Tsukune uncomfortable with Ririko. By then, she seductively held Tsukune.

"Aono-kun, come to my remedial took tomorrow after school please" she said in a sultry tone.

Before they noticed, Jin appeared in a flash. His eyes were black and glowing red. Anger was visibly shown. This surprised Ririko, along with Tsukune and Moka.

"Oh... I didn't notice you, Sora-kun. I heard you have been in a study group. Please come to my remedial room tomorrow as well" she said.

Before she even attempted to touch him, Jin materialized a spike bed of ice around his whole body.

"Make a move like that and I'll freeze your skin like a Popsicle" he warned.

Ririko grew nervous from the dark tone. She looked at him with slight fear.

"Let's go, you two. We have studying to deal with" Jin said, dragging Moka and Tsukune.

'He's a protective person, that's for sure. However, even someone like him will come to my remedial lessons' Ririko thought, licking her lips.

######

The next day, the group was discussing about Ririko's actions.

"So she asked you two to come to her remedial lessons. Are you two willing to do so?" Kurumu asked.

"Although I appreciated the offer, I refused. My grades are good enough" Jin said emotionlessly.

Mizore smiled from Jin's response. However, Tsukune was biased, whether to go to the remedial lessons or work hard on his own.

"It's best not to go, Tsukune-san" Jin said.

"What do you mean?" Tsukune asked.

"I don't like how that woman acts to her students... Rather, she's bad news. I suggest working hard with the notes Moka gave you" Jin said.

Tsukune reluctantly nodded. He truly didn't want to go near Ririko. Kurumu's explanation made him wary of the teacher.

######

Tsukune was heading to the remedial room to announce his refusal to partake the lessons. Jin was with him as well. When the boys were about to head inside, a dart Jin ok his arm. He had no time to pull it off as the dart contained a powerful tranquilizer. It knocked him out quickly.

(Play Shiki OST - Pendulum)

Jin-san! Are you alright!? Is anyone here!? My friend has been hit by a tranquilizer!" Tsukune shouted.

Reluctant, Tsukune decided to head in the remedial room. He was horrified of what he saw. There were several occult items that gave the room a creepy aura. Ririko was waiting for him. She was wearing a revealing outfit which made her look like a sadist.

"I've been waiting for you, Aono-kun" she said in a sultry tone.

"S-sensei...! What with that outfit!?" Tsukune said with shock and slight disgust.

"I thought you would study better if I wear this" she said.

"That's not going to help me study for the exams! It's only going to distract me! I only came here to refuse your lessons!" Tsukune said.

However, before he could hear a response, he felt a sharp pain on his cheek. Blood was oozing from his injury. Tsukune noticed something weird from Ririko. A tail-like extension was moving like a snake.

"Distract you? I don't think it can. I'm a teacher. In the education system, the teacher act as the leaders while the students act as the slaves" she said in a sultry tone.

"Ririko-sensei! I only came here to tell you that I'm refusing your lessons!" he shouted.

"Oh no... I don't accept refusals. Let's start our lessons" she said.

A loud scream from Tsukune echoed in the school.

(Pendulum OST ends here)

######

Jin woke up in the infirmary. His body still felt stiff from the tranquilizers. Mizore was there, watching him. She found him unconscious on the floor.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he shouted loudly.

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

Jin was breathing heavily. A flashback was starting to overcome him. He tried to suppress it, but it came back to him.

'Damn it... Not now' Jin thought.

Mizore heard the loud shouting and ran to Jin, who was breathing heavily. She tried to calm him down, but his breathing grew rigid.

"Jin-kun. Calm down! You're suffering from a horrible flashback" Mizore said.

Her shouting was fruitless as a horrified expression marred his face.

(Twilight OST ends here)

-Flashback-

Natsuno, and Jin were sleeping over Tooru's place. They were studying together.

"Geez, Tooru-san. You can at least study with us instead of playing video games" Jin said in a playful tone.

"Hahaha... My bad. I'll be joining you guys to the study group" he said.

Natsuno merely sighed. He appreciated Jin being with him. However, he didn't expect to sleep over Tooru's place.

'This study group oddly feels comfortable to have. I guess I've grown more tolerant with my friends' Natsuno thought.

Natsuno was feeling tired from the relentless study. Jin was also tired as well. Tooru noticed the boys looking completely exhausted.

"If you guys are planning to stay for the night, I have a couple of spare futons for you guys" Tooru said.

"I appreciate that" Jin said.

Natsuno merely nod off on Tooru's bed. Jin was able to drag him to the futon Tooru set up.

"He's really pushing himself to study hard for those exams... Don't take it harshly from him, Tooru. He's a kind hearted person once you get to know him" Jin said.

"It's ok. I know he means well" Tooru said smiling.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Silent Night)

The boys were sleeping quietly. Unknown to them, two figures were watching them. Their eyes were glowing red. One figure was a male with sky blue hair. The other was female with pink hair. The female giggled, knowing the people she likes are inside the house.

Natsuno and Jin felt their presence. They began to stir from their sleep.

The female figure opened the foyer door and was walking inside. The footsteps were loud enough for the boys to hear them. Jin and Natsuno were unable to move, due to sleep paralysis. They felt their bodies sweating profusely as the figure was moving closer to Tooru's room.

'Shimizu Megumi' Jin and Natsuno thought.

The boys felt the presence encroach towards the door. Fear was gripping them in cold hands. The figure opened the door, but it wasn't the figure they thought of. It was Mutoi Aoi. The boys quickly shut their eyes and pretended to sleep.

"Aw... They all fallen asleep... I'll have to ask Otou-san for help on my homework" she said.

(Silent Night OST ends here)

Natsuno and Jin breathed in relief.

"It was Aoi" Natsuno said.

"That was scary" Jin commented.

The boys began to slowly fall asleep. However, a haunting voice called them.

"Yuuki... Aoi" the voice said.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

The boys were immediately frightened from the sound. They looked to the source to find Megumi lying on her back, hiding underneath Tooru's futon. She was staring at them with a haunting smile. The boys were breathing erratically.

"Yuuki-kun, Aoi-kun" Megumi said.

He slowly slid out from the futon. Bones were cracking loudly along with the sickening sound of flesh being pulled. Megumi stood up, looking at the boys, who were powerless. They couldn't move at all due to their sleep paralysis.

Megumi was wearing a red-black gothic corset. Her skin was pasty white, like a dead body. Her eyes were completely black, but a faint glow of red was starting to show. The irises started glowing brightly, scaring the boys.

'It is her' Natsuno thought in horror.

'It can't be... She supposed to be dead!' Jin thought in horror.

By then, Megumi noticed Tooru and looked crossed. The boys noticed her looking at him.

"Honestly, I don't like your friend. How come you two have so much time with him instead of sparing a moment for me? Why is that, Tatsumi?" Megumi asks towards the window.

A male figure was shown, eyes glowing red. The boys were surrounded by the shiki. They couldn't do anything due to sleep paralysis. They were completely engulfed in fear.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Pendulum)

"Well then" Megumi said, not finishing her sentence.

She then smiled and opened her mouth. Two fangs were shown from her incisors. She slowly went to Tooru's neck.

'No... Stop...! LEAVE HIM ALONE!' the boys thought with fear.

Megumi's mouth encircled Tooru's neck and bit him.

-Flashback ends-

(Pendulum OST ends here)

Jin was breathing heavily. The flashback was a haunting experience for him. It left him briefly paralyzed but it also made him think of his friend, Tsukune.

"We...we have to find Tsukune... I don't know why, but I'm getting a bad feeling" Jin said while shaking.

"Jin-kun, you're barely able to stop shaking. I'll go find him while you rest in your dorm room" Mizore said, kissing his cheek.

######

In Moka's room, Moka was writing notes. She was thinking of Tsukune.

"I wonder if he's doing ok…" she said to herself.

Moka then thought of Ririko's words with a frown.

 _"You can't help Aono-kun at all."_

Moka shook her head to get her focus back.

"This shouldn't be all I can do for Tsukune" she said.

######

The next day, Kurumu was asking Yukari for help on a mathematical topic.

"Please tutor me on the Pythagorean Theorem, Yukari-chan" Kurumu begged.

"I refuse" Yukari said with a childish laugh.

Kurumu didn't take no for an answer. She tied up Yukari and dragged her to the club room to study.

By then, Kurumu bumped into Tsukune.

"Sorry Tsukune" she said.

Kurumu took notice of Tsukune, who was reciting mathematical formulas. An emotionless face was marred on him.

"α = cos (120*) + isin (120*)... α [2] = α..."

Yukari was shocked of what she heard.

"This is...! He's memorizing mathematical formulas! To top it off, these are difficult, calculus formulas that we have yet to learn" Yukari explained.

"Amazing... You're working hard Tsukune. Can you tutor me please?" Kurumu asked in amazement.

Tsukune didn't answer and continued to recite the math formulas. He then walked off, leaving Yukari and Kurumu alone.

"Something about it feels weird…" Yukari said.

"What do you mean?" Kurumu asked.

"These kind of formulas are never taught to first years. They're usually taught to the students taking AP classes" Yukari said.

"You're right... Something does seem weird" Kurumu said in agreement.

"What's more is that emotionless face... It's just like Jin's face" she said.

"I know. Something is VERY wrong here" Yukari said.

######

Tsukune was walking in the grand hallway of the school, reciting mathematical formulas. Jin was passing by, noticing Tsukune's state.

"Good morning" he said.

Tsukune didn't respond and continued reciting math formulas.

'That trance-like state... It's just like what those creatures did to the people once bitten... DAMN IT! I was careless to let Tsukune become like this' Jin thought angrily.

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

Moka was waiting for Tsukune, holding a notebook. She heard him nearby and came up to him.

"Good morning, Tsukune" Moka said.

Tsukune, in his trance-like state, didn't respond.

"Y-You see, even though Ririko-sensei was very blunt on what she said, I thought I could help you a bit. So I made you a notebook for the test. If you like, I'd like you to use it" Moka did shyly.

Moka took notice of Tsukune not responding. His expression was emotionless, almost soulless. This somewhat frightened Moka, knowing Jin had the same expression.

"Tsukune?" she asked in concern.

Ririko then appeared out of nowhere from behind Moka.

"What are you doing!?" Ririko asked harshly.

She then took Moka's notebook and flipped the pages. She didn't bother reading them. This action didn't go unnoticed as Jin watched with anger rising. The woman was reminding him of a particular person who was acting like a spoiled brat.

"What's this? Amateurs shouldn't do any unnecessary tasks. Using such an item to attract Aono-kun... How shameful" Ririko said, insulting Moka.

"I wasn't tempting him or anything like that! I was providing notes for him" Moka retorted.

Ririko threw the notebook at Moka's face. It knocked her off balance, causing her to fall to the ground. Before she hit, Jin quickly caught her at the last second.

"Sheesh... It's because of people like you that Aono-kun was unable to concentrate on his studying" she said.

Moka had a shocked expression while Jin angrily looked at Ririko.

"Take that back" he said to her in icy rage.

"Hmm? Sora-kun... Did you stutter?" Ririko asked.

"I said... Take...that...BACK!" he shouted, blasting frigid wind to Ririko.

Moka watched in surprise as Jin defended her from Ririko. She notice Jin's body shaking with unrestrained fury. Jin slowly went to Moka's notebook to pick it up and gave it back to Moka. He then turned to Ririko. His gaze was laced with a powerful killing intent. His eyes glowed a bright red.

"Now, let's go Aono-kun" Ririko said, shrugging the cold air off of her.

Moka and Jin watched as Ririko took Tsukune to the remedial room.

"I have a feeling that Ririko is behind all of this" Jin said with a snarl.

Moka nodded but she had a downcast expression.

"Tsukune" she said solemnly.

'So...it really was my fault that Tsukune couldn't concentrate on studying?' Moka questioned to herself.

Jin noticed Moka's expression.

"Cast those pessimistic thoughts aside. Remember what Kurumu said about her" Jin said.

It didn't reassure Moka at all. He sighed and picked Moka up from the floor. She then followed Jin to the club room to begin studying.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

Inside the club room, Mizore was studying hard while Yukari and Kurumu were playfully arguing. Gin looked tired from the studying. They noticed Jin and Moka coming in, but Tsukune was not with them. They took notice of the expression from them. Jin was angry, evident by the blood-red glow on his iris. Moka look depressed, almost non-responsive.

"Quit your fussing you two and study. This is no time for playing" Jin said.

Kurumu and Yukari looked at Jin, only to meet his black eyes and glowing red irises. They immediately went back to studying, not wanting to irritate him. Moka also followed along, with determination.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

During the next days, Tsukune was entrapped by Ririko's trance. He was still taking notes, but he was unresponsive to everyone. Each time Tsukune was able to slightly fight the trance off, headaches would occur. This would force Ririko to whip him harshly to regain her control over him.

In the hallway, Shizuka noticed Tsukune casting an emotionless look and appeared to be reading. However, she looked worried for him.

'That's the same look Sora-kun had... This one seems to be forced though. I don't think Aono-kun had anything troublesome.

Kurumu and Yukari tried in vain attempts to get Tsukune's attention, even asking him for help. However, they all failed to make him divert his attention away from the textbook. They couldn't snap him from his trance. Mizore watched with a sad frown as Tsukune walked by like a doll.

'Jin-kun... You were right to keep an eye out for him... Something has been happening to Tsukune' Mizore thought.

(Blue bell OST ends here)

######

In Moka's room, Moka was exhausted from the constant studying, not to mention the emotional burden she felt from Ririko. If anything, she wanted to be near Tsukune again.

'I hope he's doing ok. I wish he would come back' Moka thought in concern.

######

Back in the remedial class, Tsukune was mindlessly taking notes. Ririko was laughing jovially of her brainwashing.

"Tsukune-kun, let's make sure we work hard together today as well! You should be understanding more of the wonders through studying, right" she questioned.

Tsukune was slowly breaking through his trance and uttered Moka's name.

"Moka-san" he uttered loudly.

Ririko heard the name and whipped him harshly. The blow knocked him off of his chair.

"You still harbor such thoughts of that girl!?" she questioned harshly.

"Stand on all fours at once" she ordered.

She then saddled on Tsukune's back.

"What a heavenly scent... It's like a human's... I can't get enough of your scent... Come closer to me... It's time for today's special les-son" she said teasingly.

"I'll teach you well today" Ririko said.

By then, Tsukune made a bloodcurdling scream that echoed across the whole academy.

######

Moka, Mizore and Jin were about to walk out till they heard the scream. Immediately, Jin charged up his icy aura in pure rage.

"Damn it! Don't die on me, Tsukune-san" Jin shouted and raced to the remedial class.

"Tsukune" Moka said and ran with Jin.

"I'm coming as well" Mizore said.

The trio ran to find Tsukune in the remedial classroom.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Inside the remedial classroom, Ririko was getting excited.

"Yes Tsukune! Take all the information from me! Absorb it all till you learn all from it" she said in ecstasy.

Tsukune continued to scream as information was forced into his brain through a flower-like connection from Ririko. It made him scream loudly as the information flooded into him painfully.

"While you're doing this, will you think of your teacher and studying?" she questioned.

Electric shocks were crackling, giving away Ririko's presence.

"That's it! That's great, Tsukune-kun" she said in excitement.

Before Ririko noticed, the door was blown off of its hinges. From the entrance, Jin had his left arm extended. Anger was visibly shown on his face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jin asked with barely suppressed anger.

"Sora-kun, Shirayuki-san and Akashiya-san... Tsukune and I are in the middle of important studying" she said with irritation.

"Don't interrupt the lesson" Ririko shouted.

Everyone took notice of Ririko's true form.

"A lamia... An upper body of a human female and a lower body of a snake... These yokai were mentioned in Greek mythology" Moka said.

"A snake woman... I'll make sure she hibernates" Jin said coldly.

(Eau de vie OST ends here)

"Do not interfere" Ririko said.

She slammed Jin down to the ground.

"I've dedicated my life to teaching! I won't allow someone like you to defile my teaching room" she said with spite.

Jin slowly got up, despite the crushing blow.

"Now, let's continue studying, Tsukune-kun" she said.

(Play Shiki OST - Imagining November)

Before she realized it, Jin merely power lifted Ririko up. She was surprised on his strength as his hands started freezing Ririko. It made her shout in pain.

"Now it's my turn" he said in icy fury.

"What are you...!? A Yuki-Otoko?" she asked in surprise.

"I'm not a Yuki-Otoko. The only concern you need to worry is me freezing your body solid" Jin said.

He then body slammed Ririko on a table which had jar candles. Sickly green flames sprouted from the broken jars.

"How dare you do that, you impudent bastard!" she shouted.

Ririko lashed her tail to Jin but he immediately jumped and was riding on it like he was grinding on a rail. He delivered a harsh kick to Ririko's face.

"You dare harm my face...? Curse you to Hell, you ungrateful brat!" Ririko snapped.

(Imagining November OST ends here)

Her tail lashed out violently. It hit Mika nearby, damaging her backpack. The notebook she made for Tsukune was blitzed by Ririko's attack, leaving only a page that showed Moka's handwriting.

 _"Then let me write a copy for you! It's for your sake after all. I'll work hard!"_

Tsukune noticed the handwriting and his brainwashing ended. However, it also had the effect of riling Jin up.

"You made a fatal mistake, sensei" Mizore said.

"What do you mean?" Ririko asked.

By then, a white aura flooded the area. Everyone turned to Jin, whose eyes were a black with icy blue irises. Ririko was now scared of him.

"Your teaching ways may be helpful, but they're not beneficial to sealing away a person's emotions. Your narcissistic methods are like a toxic narcotic to students" he said coldly.

"What makes you think my teaching is like a harmful drug!? How disrespectful!" she shouted.

"Disrespectful? Ironic of hearing that from your mouth. Time to put you into hibernation. DEEP FROST!"

From Jin's shout, a heavy blizzard was blown to Ririko. Due to her snake physiology, her body couldn't handle the cold air and she slowly fell asleep. Jin created an ice cage to make sure she stays there. He then slapped Ririko on the face, waking her up.

"Don't ever do that to any students or my friends! Next time you do that, I won't spare you a second time!" he warned with murderous intent.

Jin lost his footing due to exhaustion. He noticed the flames burning inside the remedial classroom. Another flashback came to him. Ririko's ice cage melted away from Jin's lack of concentration to the ice, causing her to feel the immense aura from him.

"W-what a chilling aura...! I don't want to get involve with him" she said in fear.

It didn't help that the flames were growing bigger. It made him more frightened.

(Play Shiki OST - Thirteen Moons)

"Sotoba... Why was I living there?" Jin questioned to himself.

He immediately shouted loudly. This caused a powerful blizzard to be swept across the academy. Every student at the dorms felt a cold, chilling air encompass the area. Everything began to freeze in ice. Jin's shouting was so loud, it sounded like a tormented scream.

"JIN-KUN! Calm down! You're having a flashback!" Mizore shouted.

Her shouts were unable to reach him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The scream was loud and bellowed across the whole academy. Tsukune went to Moka and hugged her closely. The freezing air was affecting them.

"We have to stop him from going out of control...! If he doesn't snap back, the academy will freeze up" Moka said.

Mizore felt the increasing pain from Jin. Reluctantly, she slowly walked up to him. Although it made her chest ache, she slapped Jin's cheek hard, forcing him to stop. She then looked at Jin's emotionless face. He was shedding tears.

(Thirteen Moons OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

The sight of seeing Jin's face with shedding tears made Mizore's heart tear. She slowly went to him and hugged him closely. Moka and Tsukune were depressed upon seeing Jin going through another emotional trauma.

"It's ok, Jin-kun. Try to calm down. It was a flashback" Mizore said, trying to reassure him.

Jin's breathing was slowing down but it was erratic. His hair was turning icy but something happened. His hair began to bleed into its black color. This event shocked everyone, knowing he had white hair for some time.

"Jin's hair color...! It turned back to black!" Tsukune said in surprise.

Mizore stood shocked from seeing Jin's hair turning black. Everyone looked at his skin, which was getting paler. They then noticed his eyes. They were fully black with the lack of red irises.

"His eyes... They look completely dead" Yukari said with fear.

Mizore looked at his eyes and was shocked. Despite the dark color covering his eyes, they showed great pain. She couldn't take it anymore and hugged Jin closely. He then slowly responded by holding Mizore tightly. His eyes slowly bled back to normal.

(Dead Sea OST ends here)

######

The next morning, the final exams started. Tsukune was nervous due to the lack of understanding.

'This is bad... The lessons that Ririko gave me have disappeared from my head. I'll have to do my best' Tsukune thought with panic.

'Please do your best, Tsukune-kun. I know you can do it' Moka thought in concern.

Jin was answering the questions correctly. Mizore was also answering them correctly as well.

Kurumu was having some trouble but she was able to handle it.

######

Sometime later, Tsukune wondered if passed his exams. Moka came to reassure him. They were outside the school, taking a short break.

"It's ok, Tsukune. I'm sure you passed the exam" Moka said cheerfully.

"Thanks Moka. I'm sure I've passed the exams" Tsukune said.

Moka smiled and clamped onto Tsukune. She then proceeded to bite his neck and feed on his blood.

"Capu-chu!"

######

Everyone got their results. Tsukune passed with an 87, Moka passed with a 92, Mizore passed with an 84, Jin passed with a 97, Yukari passed with a 100, and Kurumu passed with a 75.

"Yahoo-hoo! It's summer vacation for all of us! I'm glad we all passed the exams" Kurumu said.

"My tutoring wasn't so bad now, wasn't it?" Yukari questioned with a bragging tone.

Mizore walked to Jin, who was looking outside the window. She gave a gentle touch on his shoulder. This made him look at Mizore. His eyes were back at their azure color.

"What is it?" he asked emotionlessly.

"I just wanted to see if you're doing ok" Mizore said.

"I'll be fine. It's nothing to worry about" Jin said.

Mizore felt the pain in her chest grew. The pain was like a festering sensation to her. She knew it was only a matter of time before the next psychological attack could finally make him snap. She then clamped on to Jin's back, sobbing quietly. Jin felt tears on his shirt.

"Jin... Know that I'll always be with you" Mizore said while sobbing.

Jin turned his body to look at Mizore. Her eyes were tearing, making him feel terrible. He then hugged Mizore closely.

That's all from here. I'm not intending to reveal Jin's past in this chapter, but in the next one, I will.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Summer Vacation and unexpected encounters. The mystery of the Witch's Knott.

For those who were expecting Jin's past to be revealed, I'm planning to deal with the Witch's Knott arc before dealing with Jin's past. I do not own anything from both series.

In the newspaper club, everyone was busy creating newspaper of the latest news and gossip. Jin and Tsukune were writing the articles. Mizore and Moka helped them while Kurumu and Yukari provided notes of what they heard from local gossips. Their activities were halted when Shizuka went inside. She looked very excited and jovial.

"Everyone! I have surprising news for us all. We're heading to the human world for the summer" she stated.

Everyone was surprised of what they heard. However, Tsukune showed more surprise than anyone. Jin had an impassive expression, but he was excited.

'Going back to the human world... I hope nothing goes wrong when we all go there' Jin thought.

'That's right...! It's summer vacation! I was so focused with academics and Moka that I barely had time to think of it...! I hope the others will feel comfortable' Tsukune thought.

Tsukune recalled what Moka said to him. The memory made him shiver, and he didn't want to be reminded of it.

 _"I hate humans... It's due to their destructive nature that I was bullied from them. They ostracized me, making me feel lonely and hurt. I told them of what I am truthfully, but they treated me like a plague."_

Tsukune shook his head to remove the feeling. He looked at Moka in concern, who remained silent. All the girls, except for Mizore, were silent about the trip. Oddly, Jin was as well. He merely sighed in a lethargic tone.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

The next morning, Jin was waiting on his own at the bus stop. He was wearing a deep blue t-shirt, black jeans, and blue-white sneakers. He kept an impassive gaze to the open sea that was glowing with a dull, crimson color. He was wondering what place the vacation would be.

'I wonder where we'll go... After being here in this place that has made me used to the presence of yokai, it's making me homesick. Plus, my friends are wondering about my past... Is it ok for me to reveal what I've seen...? The horrible nightmares that have plagued me to this day?' he thought in question.

Before he could think of anything, Mizore appeared. She was wearing a pale blue sundress with snowflake designs. She was wearing blue sneakers. Her gaze was towards his eyes. It made her appearance look more angelic.

"Good morning, Jin-kun" she greeted.

"Good morning, Mizore-san" Jin replied.

Mizore made a cute pout and walked up to Jin.

"Please call me 'Mizore-chan'. I like it if you call me that way" she said.

"O-ok, Mizore-chan" Jin stuttered.

Immediately upon hearing Jin's voice calling her name affectionately, Mizore shivered. Her heart started to race as a noticeable blush appeared on her cheeks.

"I like it how you say my name like that" she said with a smile.

Jin blushed as Mizore went up to him and hugged him close. Her icy skin didn't cause any form of discomfort to Jin. He then hugged Mizore closely. This made her squeal for a second. She then noticed him holding her like he was afraid to lose her.

"I'm sorry if I hadn't responded to your feelings as of yet... I've been debating on something" he said.

"What is it that have you been thinking, Jin-kun?" Mizore asked.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

Mizore was moving closer to him. It looked as though she would almost kiss his lips. Before Jin could answer Mizore's question, Moka and Tsukune arrived. They took notice of Jin and Mizore.

Moka was wearing a beautiful, yellow-white sundress. It made her skin glow in the sunlight. She was wearing white shoes. Tsukune was wearing a green t-shirt, brown shorts and gray sneakers.

"Good morning you two" Moka shouted.

"Good morning" Jin and Mizore responded.

Jin and Mizore looked away in embarrassment. Tsukune and Moka noticed the couple feeling embarrassed. They decided to give them some breathing space.

"Ne, Tsukune... I hope we have a great time in the human world" Moka said, leaning on to Tsukune's shoulder.

Tsukune blushed as Moka leaned comfortably on him. This made Tsukune see her relaxed face. He didn't want to outright see her chest.

'She looks so cute with a relaxed face... I hope it was worth going into the human world' Tsukune thought.

######

Jin and Mizore were staring at the horizon. They gave Tsukune and Moka some privacy for themselves.

"It's a nice view, isn't it Jin-kun?" Mizore asked.

"It is... The mountains back in the human world always brought a beautiful view to see" Jin answered.

Mizore smiled from hearing his answer. She leaned closer to him, grabbing his palm. Their fingers intertwined, making the couple stare at their eyes. Azure looked into azure, reading each other's feelings. Mizore slowly went closer to Jin. Before she could kiss him, Kurumu and Yukari appeared.

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

"Yahoo-hoo, it's summer vacation" Kurumu said jovially.

By then, Yukari noticed the couples looking intimate. She made a childish pout, inflating her cheeks.

"Hmmm...? You four have been awfully close, aren't you?" she questioned.

The two couples didn't answer. Moka and Tsukune laughed nervously while Jin and Mizore blushed red. By then, everyone noticed someone else coming towards them.

"Glad to see that you passed your exams, Gin" Jin said.

"Thanks. I'm surprised you show some concern for me, Jin-san" Gin remarked.

"Don't push it. I still haven't forgiven you from your attempted stunt, but it isn't a good event for you to go into remedial lessons" Jin said.

Gin chuckled from Jin's speech. He took notice of Jin's aura. It looked calmer than before.

'Mizore is helping Jin recover from his past. Hopefully it'll rid his inability to express emotions' Gin thought.

The school bus showed up with Shizuka riding at the front section.

(Crimson OST ends here)

"Hi everyone! We're heading out to a beach at the human world. We'll stay there for at least 5 days till we go to another area" she said.

'The beach is fine for me, but I wonder what place Nekonome-sensei has in mind' Jin questioned in his thoughts.

"Climb aboard, everyone" the bus driver said.

Everyone got on board the bus. Tsukune was with Moka, while Jin was with Mizore. Kurumu was with Yukari. Gin sat behind Kurumu and Yukari.

######

The bus travelled through a dimensional portal. A rainbow of colors akin to a kaleidoscope flashed across the horizon. The flashing colors made Tsukune a bit dizzy, but he didn't suffer from epileptic attacks.

'I'll never get used to flashing lights this strong' Tsukune thought.

Eventually, a bright flash of light blinded everyone. The flash obscured their sight for a few seconds.

######

The light began to slowly disappear. From the flash, a familiar neighborhood was brought into view. Tsukune and Jin recognized the area.

'This place-' Tsukune immediately thought.

'-the whole area' Jin continued in thought.

'This is our home' they thought simultaneously.

"I'm home" Tsukune shouted in enthusiasm.

Jin merely shook his head, knowing Tsukune would give hints of being a human. Moka was surprised and concerned. Everyone else, save for Gin, Shizuka and the bus driver noticed.

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

"You sound like a human for a moment, Tsukune-kun" Kurumu commented.

Tsukune and Moka tried to think of a reasonable explanation, even if it was a white lie. However, Jin decided to speak.

"It's because he lived here in this neighborhood for a while. He has been feeling a bit homesick" Jin said.

Truthfully, Tsukune was surprised that Jin would fabricate such a well-thought out excuse. To top it off, he was surprised on how his next door neighbor was able to deduce his homesickness with a simple glance.

"Is that so? I guess it isn't much of an issue since he knows about the human world. But how did you know that Tsukune lives here" Kurumu asked.

'How profound to ask such a question' Jin thought.

"Other than his shouting upon seeing the area, I'm Tsukune's next door neighbor" Jin answered.

Everyone was shocked of what they heard.

"You live near Tsukune's house...!? When were you going to tell us!?" Yukari questioned with surprise.

"I was planning to right now" Jin retorted.

"Hahahaha... Quite a way to retort to people" Gin laughed.

Yukari, pouting angrily, sent a wash basin on Gin's head, knocking him out cold.

"He's gonna need a few ice packs after he wakes up" Jin commented.

Everyone laughed from the joke. Jin briefly snorted, but he quickly hid his smile by drinking tomato juice.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

The bus pulled over to a large beach. Several camping tents were laid, suggesting the area was a public beach and a camping site. The group was heading towards a spot to set up camp. They liked a particular spot, near a smooth path leading up to a nearby cliff.

Gin, Tsukune, and Jin were fixing everyone's tent.

"Why do we have to set up camp in for everyone?" Gin complained.

"It's a man's job to attend to their girl's needs. Quit wasting your energy of complaining and help us fix up the camp" Jin said.

"The sooner we get everything set up, the sooner we can have fun in the beach" Tsukune retorted.

Gin sighed, but he relented. In a few minutes, the camp was finally done. The boys began to change into their swimsuits. Jin brought a new swimming trunk, consisting of a deep, blue color on top, which brightened to a sky blue. He was wearing his blue t-shirt. Tsukune was wearing a navy colored swimming trunk with white accents. Gin was wearing a grey, red swimming trunks.

"Jin, why don't you take your shirt off? No sense in hiding yourself" Gin commented.

Jin shook his head. By then, the girls appeared. Mizore was wearing a striped, lavender-white bikini. Kurumu was wearing a black, daring bikini. Moka was wearing a one-piece, white swimsuit. Yukari was wearing also wearing a one-piece swimsuit, but it was blue in color.

The girls took notice of the guys in the swimsuits. What caught their attention was Jin, who was still wearing his t-shirt. Mizore understood why he was wearing his t-shirt and felt a bit depressed.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Gin then decided to pull Jin's shirt off. Immediately, he pulled his shirt back down.

"I rather keep my t-shirt on" Jin said with discomfort.

"You don't have to be embarrassed with anything, Jin. You're with guys and girls" Gin said.

"I said, I'll keep my shirt on" Jin said with a hint of anger.

Gin relented. Tsukune decided to brighten the mood through a suggestion.

"Come on, guys. It's summer vacation. Let's play some volleyball to enjoy ourselves" Tsukune said.

Everyone agreed to Tsukune's idea. The group formed a heptagon and started playing volleyball. It looked like a tough competition though. Comically, Kurumu intercepted Yukari's position to pass the ball. This led to a showdown between them, which nearly got excessive.

"Would you two stop acting like kids?" Jin said in a frightful tone.

In emphasis of his tone, ice surrounded them in a group of small spires. Kurumu and Yukari quickly apologized, seeing Jin's eyes turning dark.

######

Shizuka was at a restaurant, eating fish. She meowed in pleasure.

"Hah... I really love the fish here in the human world, nya" she said happily.

######

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

Jin was relaxing at the beach by himself. He was staring out at the horizon, sitting on the sand. His momentary peace was disrupted when Mizore came next to him. She had a worried look.

"Jin-kun, are you feeling ok?" she asked in concern.

"I'm fine, Mizore-chan. Just thinking about old times" he said solemnly.

Mizore scooted closer to Jin. She was leaning on his shoulder in comfort.

"Aren't Yuki-Onna supposed to live in cold climates?" Jin asked curiously.

"It's true about our nature. However, this lollipop that I have, helps keep our bodies cool" Mizore explained.

"That would explain why you almost always have that. At least it helps you deal with your issue with the heat" Jin said.

Mizore looked at his face, which appeared strained.

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

The wind blew across his face. It wasn't a harsh gust. The breeze was smooth, something Jin could quickly recall.

"I understand why you kept your shirt on... You're trying to hide your scars, preventing us to know about you" Mizore deduced.

Jin nodded. His sclera turned black again, but his irises glowed with a bright blue color. A single tear was shown coming from his right eye.

"I know you've seen my scars, but that was when I was human that I received the scars. I don't want to divulge much into my past" he said.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

Mizore hugged him closely, trying to alleviate his pain. By then, a familiar figure was heading to the beach, reading a familiar book. Jin immediately took notice of the man's silver hair. He started to hyperventilate, knowing who the man was.

"M-Muroi Seishin... How…!?" Jin questioned in shock.

Seishin heard the voice and turned to see Jin. He noticed Jin, who was approaching him.

"Sora Jin...? You're alive as well?" Seishin asked in shock.

"I am, but how are you still alive...? I saw you bleed to death back in our home…" Jin questioned.

"I recalled hearing about your death. Yet, you looked as though you haven't died" Seishin said.

(Play Shiki OST - Memento Mori)

"Then that means... You're a jinrou as well, aren't you?" Jin questioned.

"Yes... I could say the same for you" Seishin retorted.

Mizore noticed the tension growing thicker, despite the calm exchange of words. Reluctant, she decided to bring her friends.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't attack you" Jin said with barely contained rage.

Seishin sighed. He began to explain his reasons.

"Before I died, my family and I took notice of the shiki massacre happening in Sotoba. I'm certain you witnessed the occurrence" Seishin said.

"I have... I saw what happened" Jin said, shaking in recalling what happened.

Seishin noticed Jin shaking and appeared to be in fright.

"The villagers went mad, invading my home. I was barely conscious due to blood loss when I was with the Kirishikis" he continued.

"You were providing your blood to them?" Jin questioned in anger.

Seishin merely ignored him and continued explaining.

"A young girl named Sunako was the one whom I was feeding to. Her concept of life and death was similar to mine" he said.

Jin was shaking his fist in anger. By the time Tsukune and everyone came, the tension was very thick.

"Let me finish my explanation. Sunako was a tragic girl, seeking a means to find a family for herself. It was her idea to create a 'town of shiki' back in Sotoba" Seishin said.

Upon hearing Seishin's explanation, everyone pondered what happened to Sotoba Village. The pieces of Jin's past was slowly coming together.

"Tell me... What happened to your family?/" Jin asked.

"My family was killed. My father was turned into a shiki and was given a peaceful death. My mother on the other hand was brutally murdered by the villagers. I couldn't stand it so I decided to leave Sotoba with Sunako" Seishin said.

"That would explain why you hold such resentment. You're more assertive and violent" Jin deduced.

"Yeah... The people who were once our friends became insane, hunting down any shiki or jinrou. Anyone siding with the shiki were killed indiscriminately. My mother and caretakers in the temple were killed by Tomio and some followers. I heard the ransacking in my own home. I saw my mother's corpse, stabbed" Seishin said.

Jin was shaking in anger, recalling some survivors almost attempting to kill him. His eyes turned black with a red glow. Seishin's eyes also turned black with a red glow. Tsukune and the others noticed Seishin's eyes and were shocked.

"He's...like Jin, a jinrou" Tsukune said in shock.

"To think there's another one of his kind... Yet, Jin looks distressful. He's ready to attack at the slightest moment" Mizore said in concern.

(Memento Mori OST ends here)

"Oh yes... How's Yasumori doing? I noticed she was able to walk in the sunlight" Seishin asked.

Jin's anger grew. Ice began to form on his feet. He calmed down, not wanting to cause a scene.

"Yasumori-san is doing ok. If you're wondering why she is able to walk outside in the sun, I made her drink my blood, causing her to turn into a jinrou" Jin said.

Seishin immediately stood up in surprise.

"A jinrou's blood can turn a shiki to jinrou!? That means she can live relatively normal!" Seishin stated.

"Yeah... I figured if she couldn't walk out during daylight, then she would have to be like me. I gave her my blood so she would become a jinrou. She didn't deserve such cruelty" Jin said with sympathy.

Seishin made a faint smile. He related to Jin's sympathy of Nao to his sympathy for Sunako.

"You may have changed for the worst, but you still have your protective drive to help others" Seishin commented.

"Yeah... I haven't changed on some parts, but things have been dark for me... Nothing but nightmares and despair" Jin said with an emotionless tone.

Seishin felt pitiful for the young jinrou. He then placed a calming hand on his left shoulder.

"You have been tortured by what you saw throughout Sotoba, haven't you?" he questioned.

Jin nodded his head.

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

"Damn it all... I never chose to become what I am... All I wished was a normal life... Why did the Kirishikis come to Sotoba for their selfish wishes?" Jin questioned in sorrow.

Seishin watched the jinrou losing his spirit. He felt guilty, seeing Jin in such a sorrowful state.

"Jin, I know it isn't my right to say regarding about our current life... We both had faced our tragic losses... However, you have to move on from your past. Your friends look as though you haven't taught them what you are, especially about your past... You'll have to talk with them about it" Seishin said in wisdom.

Jin remained silent for some time. His friends looked at him with worry and concern. Mizore went up to him and grabbed her hand. She then placed it on her cheek. A cold, wet feeling was touching Jin's hand. He took notice and saw Mizore crying. Her tears were touching his hand. A painful ache encroached Jin's chest.

"I'll explain about my past to you all someday... But now's not the right time" Jin said.

Everyone casted a smile to Jin. They all realize how his past caused such a significance to him.

(Requiem OST ends here)

######

It was nighttime. The newspaper club were attending their camps. Shizuka returned, having a large pail of fish.

'So that's what she was doing... She probably came here to get a snack for herself' everyone thought comically.

"Hey... Where's Jin and Mizore" Tsukune asked.

######

Jin was watching the sea, lost in thought. He didn't sense Mizore's presence as he looked at the view with the moon shining brightly. By then, Mizore held on to his back.

"Sorry if I spooked you, Jin-kun. Are you feeling ok?" Mizore asked.

"I'm feeling fine... Just lost in nostalgia" Jin said.

"Are you sure? You don't seem to want to talk about what you were referring when we left to the human world" Mizore asked.

Jin had a brief nervous look. He had no choice but to discuss about it.

"Mizore-chan... I was about to talk to you about my past, but I decided not to. It's something I have yet to deal with" Jin said.

"I understand that you don't want to talk about it. Give it some time so we all can hear about your story" Mizore said, smiling.

She then hugged Jin closely. The sea breeze fluttered to them, causing their hair to move elegantly.

######

Tsukune was resting, watching the horizon through the sea. He was stargazing, feeling comfortable to see the starry sky. His stargazing activity didn't let him notice Moka approaching him. She sat down near him.

"Hey Tsukune. What are you doing away from the campsite?" Moka asked.

"Oh, Moka-san... I was stargazing for a bit, thinking of the recent events" he said.

"What events?" Moka asked.

Tsukune felt pressured to answer, but he reluctantly agreed to do so.

"Moka-san... I'm mainly concerned for my next door neighbor. I haven't seen him do much except set up the campsite here. He barely went out for a swim and played volleyball for at least a minute" Tsukune said.

Moka knew that Tsukune was trying to help Jin overcome his emotionless problem, but to no avail.

"Don't feel so pessimistic, Tsukune. You're doing what you can to make sure he's doing ok" Moka said, reassuring him.

He smiled from hearing Moka's encouraging words. Moka briefly looked at Jin.

'Jin-san, Mizore's been attracted to you since we first met. Despite your emotional detachment of the world, you still care for others... I've seen your actions, despite your breakdowns' Moka thought in concern.

######

Jin noticed Mizore moved her hand to his face. She slowly went closer and claimed his lips. This shocked Jin so much, he couldn't think of anything. A shocked expression marred his face. Mizore giggled from seeing his shocked face.

"W-was that your first kiss?" Mizore asked cutely.

Jin could only nod. This made her smile as she hugged him close. Jin, unable to understand the emotional feeling he was experiencing, was in shock.

'What is this feeling...? Why do I feel so calm? I don't understand why, but her kiss... It feels...soothing' Jin thought.

Mizore noticed Jin who was very quiet.

"Could it be that you never fell in love with a girl?" she asked in surprise.

Jin nodded, regaining his emotionless expression.

"I never fell in love with a girl before... I didn't had much of an interest in relationships... When I turned into a jinrou, I didn't want to seek a girlfriend at all" he explained.

"But why wouldn't you find a girl that you like?" Mizore questioned.

"Have you forgotten that I'm a monster right now?" Jin asked with an emotionless tone.

Mizore realized what he meant and felt sorry for him. She hugged him close, letting her head lean on his chest. Jin, on instinct, held her close to him.

######

An hour passed as Jin and Mizore walked back to the camp, holding hands. The newspaper club looked at the couple and smiled.

'It's about time that Jin and Mizore are growing close. I was beginning to wonder what's holding him back' Yukari thought.

'Glad to see that their bond is growing. Hopefully, whatever comes to them won't strain their relationship' Tsukune thought.

The newspaper club decided to talk about everyday life.

"Ne Jin-kun, what do you plan to become later on?" Mizore asked.

(Play Shiki OST - Mosiac)

Jin remained silent for a few seconds. He decided to talk of what he wanted to become.

"I planned to join the medical field... I wished to become a doctor" he answered.

"Wow... Quite an ambition you're desiring. But what did you mean that you 'wished'" Gin asked.

"My desires for the future have ended since I was pronounced dead last year in Sotoba" he said.

"Wait... You died once, but you're still alive" Moka said.

"While true, but you're also wrong. You see, the way my kind multiply is slightly different from traditional vampire movies" Jin said cryptically.

"How so?" Tsukune asked.

"One bite is all it takes to essentially mark you as their victim. It produces a hypnotic effect, basically making you a puppet. Once that happens, subsequent bites will cause the victim to develop anemia-like symptoms which grow severe. The victim may be able to recover, so long as the person is not bitten every day. However, prolonged biting on the victim will drain the person dry, killing them via blood loss" Jin explained.

Everyone was shocked of what they heard. Mizore even more so.

"Is that why you battle your own bloodlust to the point you threaten your life?" she asked with worry.

Jin nodded. He felt terrible seeing Mizore's face.

"It's something I don't want to share about. I've been trying to find substitutes for blood to counter my hunger for it. Before coming to Yokai Academy, I often head towards the mountain sides at night, killing and feeding on wild dog's blood" he said.

"Wait, you tried to curb your thirst through animal blood? Has this proven effective for you?" Moka asked.

Unknown to everyone, the rosary was glowing, allowing Inner Moka to listen to the conversation.

"The animal blood was able to curb my thirst temporarily, but it was able to make my life somewhat functional. All I could say is, the blood was bland, as someone mentioned in the book, Twilight, like tofu. However, each time I hunt, I realize that I'm slowly losing what's left of my humanity, making me more of a monster" Jin explained.

"I noticed that you been drinking a lot of tomato juice. Since you have been drinking it frequently, you haven't been experiencing any problems" Moka commented.

"The tomato juice helps curb my hunger so I can at least maintain my strength. Although it is not blood, it's very appealing for any vampiric creature" Jin said.

(Mosiac OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

"Whoa... Sounds as though you've been struggling with your second life" Kurumu said solemnly.

"More than struggle... I'm trying to regain what's left of my humanity. I told you all countless times that I never wanted to become what I am. Not only am I threat to the human world, I'm also a creature whose life has been condemned to everlasting pain till the day I die a second time" Jin said with a melancholy tone.

Everyone felt the revelation from Jin's explanation. Mizore hugged him closely, trying to relieve him from his pessimism.

"Now you know why I'm distant with the people I meet. I don't want anyone to deal with what I become" Jin said.

Gin, who was feeling bad for him, felt depressed of hearing a young man barely reaching his late teens contemplating death. It made him sick to the point he wished that he could reverse what happened to Jin.

Inner Moka felt pitiful for the jinrou. She casted an understanding look to Jin, knowing what it means to be robbed of what a person lost.

(Requiem OST ends here)

Everyone began to feel tired and fell asleep. Outside the camp, a figure was spying on the camp. She took notice of Yukari, who was entering the tent.

"There's no mistake about it... That girl is like me, a witch. I need to report this to my master" the figure said.

######

Above the campsite was a cliff, which had a field of sunflowers blooming. A large mansion was at the site, where it was in the middle of the sunflower field. The mansion was an imposing sight for anyone. Inside the mansion, was a girl, who kneeling to another figure. The second figure was wearing a dark robe that exposed little of her face. Age hasn't been friendly for the second figure, making her appear almost old, due to wrinkles.

"Ruby, I want you to acquire this young witch and make her join us. Do what you can to make sure she does. If those stragglers hinder your progress, dispose of them immediately" the figure said.

"Yes, My Lady" Ruby said.

######

The next morning, Jin woke up early and took off to the beach. Mizore, not feeling Jin's presence, decided to head outside. She noticed Jin, who was wearing his swimsuit without his t-shirt on taking a dip into the water. She then smiled and followed along, changing into her swimsuit and went inside the water. None of the newspaper club members noticed Mizore or Jin missing.

Jin was swimming underwater. He felt relieved to essentially swim in the water.

'Although I shouldn't enjoy this, I still have much to see at a young age... The world I knew of back in my home was cruel... I wish it was all a dream' he thought.

While Jin was swimming underwater, he noticed a figure swimming gracefully. Upon closer inspection, it was Mizore, who was swimming nearby. She smiled, seeing Jin swimming in the water. Both then went to the surface to catch their breath.

"Mizore-chan... You followed me into the water?" Jin asked in surprise.

"Yes. I noticed you were gone from the tent so I looked around and saw you about to swim" Mizore answered.

Jin looked away blushing. Mizore took the chance to hug him while smiling.

######

Back in the camp, the rest of the newspaper club woke up from their sleep. Tsukune and Moka took notice of Mizore and Jin's absence. They began searching for them till Kurumu noticed them in the water near the cliff side. She smiled, seeing the couple swimming together.

"Oh... Those two are becoming more romantic with each other... Might as well let them have their fun" Kurumu said.

Kurumu went to the newspaper club to inform them.

"Oh. So they went to have a quick dip in the water" Gin said.

Yukari summoned a wash bowl, which fell on his head. The impact knocked him unconscious.

"Leaving Gin's comment aside, I think they're getting along quite well" Tsukune said.

"I agree. I've known Mizore for a while but I never seen her so open before. She looks more happy than usual" Moka said.

######

Jin and Mizore were heading back to the shore. They quickly took notice of the newspaper club seeing them. Immediately, Jin retreated into the water quickly, swimming deep underwater.

"Jin, where are you going?" Mizore called.

Mizore received no response. She was concerned of his behavior, knowing he doesn't want to expose his scars.

"What's wrong with him...? First he doesn't want to go into the water, now he doesn't want to come out... What's up with him?" Gin asked.

"I don't know but he looked like he was hiding something" Tsukune said, staring at Jin's last position.

######

Jin resurfaced near a rocky cliff. He swam his way up to the shore and hid there. He created a coating of ice to cover his torso. Mizore noticed Jin creating an icy covering.

"Jin, you know that you'll have to reveal about your past... You won't be able to hide for long" Mizore said.

"I know... However, I don't want people knowing about my cursed past. Whatever's in the past shouldn't be brought back to the present" Jin explained coldly.

Mizore was somewhat worried of his lone wolf attitude. It made her feel depressed.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kurumu swam up to them. Immediately, Jin made the coat of ice look brighter, obscuring his body.

"There you two are. We've been trying to get your attention to come to shore" she said with a huff.

"Sorry, but I didn't realize that" Jin said emotionlessly.

Kurumu noticed the ice surrounding his torso.

"Why are you covering your body with an armor of ice? The humans would notice our supernatural abilities" Kurumu warned.

"They'll think it's a shiny towel from a distance. The ice I used is malleable, allowing me to shape it more fluidly" Jin said.

Upon saying that, the icy armor turned into a towel, making it look like one.

"Alright, but make sure you don't cause a commotion... We don't want any trouble here" Kurumu said.

Jin nodded. Mizore was surprised on how skilled he was with his ice abilities. He can create malleable ice without much strain. What's worse is the skill that would tire out most Yuki-Onna, even if they were well-trained.

"How can you create malleable ice?" Mizore asked.

"Ever since I was practicing these powers" Jin answered.

Mizore nodded but she wanted to know more of Jin. His background was a mystery of its own.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

By then, Jin got off of the rocky shore, still wearing his ice armor like a towel. He quickly made his way to the camp and quickly dried himself. With quick speed, he put on his t-shirt. Mizore followed along with him.

'Hope no one saw my exposed back' Jin thought.

Unfortunately, Kurumu accidentally stumbled upon Jin getting his t-shirt on. She briefly saw one of his scars but didn't had the chance to see it clearly.

'What was that...? For a minute I thought I saw a grievous scar. I hope it was my imagination' Kurumu thought in concern.

Jin noticed Kurumu, who had a brief, shocked expression. Immediately, he created a wall of ice in front of her. His eyes were blackened.

"Do not attempt to anyone about my scars. I'm tired of people trying to know about my past. Enough is enough" Jin growled.

Kurumu nodded in a fearful response. Jin then made the wall melt, along with switching his eyes back to normal. She took notice of Mizore, who was guilt ridden.

"He's sensitive of himself, if not, his life. Don't ask him anything of his mood" Mizore said to Kurumu in a somber tone.

She nodded from Mizore.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

By then, Jin took notice of a field of sunflowers growing at the nearby cliff of the campsite. Tsukune, who noticed Jin staring at the cliff, decided to look as well. Shizuka noticed the boots looking at the cliff with curiosity.

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

"You know, I heard rumors about this place from the humans. Rumors tell about the violent history of the hill. They say anyone that enters the field will disappear or die horrifically. Rumors also come from some surviving witnesses that claim to see a sorceress in the area. The people who saw this being gave the area Tsukune name, 'Witch's Hill" she explained.

"How come I see some construction vehicles near the site?" Jin asked in curiosity.

"The area was supposed to be a local beach diner. However, because of the mysterious deaths, construction was halted in fear of losing their workers" Shizuka answered.

Jin, now curious of the place, decided to take a peek. Tsukune followed along with him.

######

Mizore and Moka looked for Tsukune till they noticed Shizuka nearby.

"Nekonome-sensei, where are Jin and Tsukune?" Mizore asked.

"They left to see the sunflowers up on this cliff" she said pointing to the pathway that leads up to the cliff.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

######

The boys were up at the cliff side, seeing a large field of sunflowers. From a distance, they saw a couple that wandered nearby.

"Oh no... We shouldn't wander here" a girl said.

"What do you mean?" a boy asked.

"This is the so-called Witch's Hill. It's notorious for its mysterious deaths that occur to those who damage the fields" the girl answered.

(Play Shiki OST - Pendulum)

Before the young couple realized it, a root of thorns ensnared them on their legs. They were dragged while screaming for help. Jin and Tsukune tracked the sound to where the couple was, only to find a large blood smear. No remains of the couple, save for a large pool of blood was shown. By then, a human hand was shown near at the pool, leaving only up to its wrist.

Tsukune was frozen with a scared look. He felt very queasy to the point he hurled at a nearby tree. Jin, on the other hand, was shaking. He collapsed on his knees and screamed loudly, experiencing a flashback.

-Flashback-

A loud screaming was heard on Sotoba. A woman with pastry white skin and black hair was being staked alive. Her screams were bloodcurdling, causing Jin to collapse on his legs. Blood sprayed on his face. He took notice of Dr. Toshio, who was leading the humans against the woman.

Jin was so scared, he was frozen in fear. He couldn't take the sight of it at all.

-Flashback ends-

(Pendulum OST ends here)

######

While the rest of the newspaper club was at the camp, they heard a loud familiar scream. Instantly, they knew who it was. Moka and Mizore, who were near the field of sunflowers heard the scream loudly.

"That scream...! It's from Jin" Mizore said.

"We have to get to him! Something must've happened" Moka said.

Meanwhile, back in the camp, the newspaper club raced to the cliff as quick as possible. They caught up with Moka and Mizore, eventually finding Tsukune and Jin. They took notice of the pool of blood and the human hand on the grass.

"W-what happened here…?" Gin asked in slight fear.

Tsukune slowly got up. His recent hurling left him weak.

"There was a human couple that we heard nearby. They were dragged by something in this place. We don't know what it was, but it outright killed them" Tsukune said weakly.

Everyone looked at Jin, who was shaking uncontrollably. Mizore quickly hugged him to calm his shaking. His breathing was also strained.

That's all from here. The next chapter will deal with the introduction of Ruby.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The sorceress Ruby Toujou. Rage of bloodlust.

I do not own anything from both series. All chapters except OCs belong with their respective creators.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

It took 3 hours for Jin to calm down. Everyone was at the sunflower fields, trying to understand the situation.

"Jin, what happened back there...? You just collapsed while looking like you had a seizure... Not only that, you have been screaming loud enough as though you're reliving something horrifying" Gin said in concern.

"Don't ask me about what just happened! Just leave me be for now!" Jin said, flashing his dark eyes.

Everyone decided to give some space as Jin trudged through the field. Ruby was watching the newspaper club in a bush. Before they knew it, a thorny root appeared on them. Immediately, Jin stomped on the root with an icy aura.

"No one dares to kill the friends I know and live to tell about it" Jin said, his icy aura now exuding a cold air.

Ruby was shocked of what she saw. Jin simply destroyed the root like it was nothing. Immediately, she decided to rely on stealth.

'I have to get that young witch to join us... My Lady's plans must come to fruition' Ruby thought.

Jin attempted to chase down the one manipulating the roots. However, he ended up losing sight of his target.

"Damn it! I lost sight of the one manipulating the roots. Whoever it is, the real threat is somewhere around here" Jin spoke loudly.

He quickly regrouped with the newspaper club members.

"Everyone, be careful of this place. Something or someone's manipulating the roots of this field. It's most likely a witch, but there may be others lurking around here. Stay with at least a person or two" Jin warned.

Everyone nodded in response. It took some discussions, but they planned to deprecate in their groups. Moka went with Tsukune, much to the displeasure of Kurumu. Yukari went with Kurumu and Gin, much to their frustration. Jin was with Mizore, who didn't seem to mind being near him.

(Eau de vie OST ends here)

######

Everyone began to look cautiously around the field of sunflowers. So far, nothing happened to anyone.

Kurumu and Yukari started to act immature with each other, much to Gin's displeasure.

"One of your kind's been sparking up trouble here. I wonder if there are witches like that" Kurumu teased.

This riled Yukari, causing her to summon a wash basin that fell on her head, knocking Kurumu unconscious. Gin, who noticed Kurumu was knocked out, attempted to talk with Yukari, only to receive a wash basin on the face. Gin was knocked unconscious from the blow, leaving Yukari alone.

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

"Sheesh... Belittling witches is something else... If someone talks bad about my kind, they'll regret it" Yukari said, flaring a purple aura.

This got the attention of Ruby, who was watching the young witch in amazement from the bushes. Eventually, she stepped out of hiding to introduce herself. Yukari turned to the sound and saw a young woman at her sight. The girl was at her late teens. Her hair was stylized with twin ponytails by special hair clips, which look like ravens. The rest of her hair fell naturally. Her eyes have a bright pink-red color. She was wearing a light-pink corset, which hung on to her shape. She had a black, long skirt that had white frills. Her shoes consist of black heels. On her right hand was a decorative staff with a purple gem. The head of the staff is curved into a crescent moon shape and is made with enchanted wood.

"Don't show such a maddening expression, young sorceress" her voice stated.

"My name is Ruby and I live here in this hilltop. I happen to be a fellow witch" Ruby said.

"You're a fellow witch?" Yukari questioned in surprise.

"Yes. I'm one of your kind, Yukari-chan" Ruby said.

"How do you know my name?" Yukari asked with suspicion.

"You've been here for some time so I was observing you. I never thought I would see another witch here. I was happy to know."

A long pause made Yukari feel uneasy.

"Yukari-chan, I wish to be your friend. Would it work?" Ruby asks her with concern.

"I'm not going against being a friend with you" Yukari said with uncertain.

Ruby was delighted and went up to Yukari. She hugged her close.

"I'm glad to hear that" Ruby said.

"Ruby-san" Yukari said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Since we're both witches, let's try to get to know each other" Ruby said smiling.

Yukari nodded with a small smile. This caused Ruby to hug her in a sisterly hug, catching Yukari by complete surprise.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy water)

Jin and the others were looking for the source of energy that manipulated the roots of the sunflowers to attack his friends. They were all unable to find anything that caused it.

"There's nothing we can do. The energy that manipulated these plants are gone" Jin said.

"It feels like we're walking in a maze. Let's take a break" Tsukune said.

"Alright, let's call everyone in" Jin replied.

Jin flared his ice aura in a ripple pattern, getting his friends to come up to him. Everyone gathered around to Jin and Tsukune.

"Hey, where's Yukari-chan?" Tsukune asked.

Immediately, Kurumu and Gin were sweating bullets.

Jin looked at them with disappointment.

"Care to explain where you two last left her and why?" he said, making the air cold.

Kurumu and Gin laughed nervously.

(Muddy water OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

Yukari and Ruby were sitting at a nearby tree, seeing the beautiful sunflowers glowing brightly.

"They're beautiful, the sunflowers" Ruby said.

"They are. I wish this place would keep the plants" Yukari said.

"I wish for that as well. The humans were planning to destroy this beautiful hill" Ruby said with disdain.

"I heard. They were planning a seaside resort at this place, but it isn't worth building at such a beautiful spot" Yukari said.

"Indeed, which is why I have to ward them off with any means necessary" Ruby said.

This got Yukari's attention, making her feel uncomfortable.

"You'll help me fight the humans back, would you Yukari-chan?" Ruby asks.

"I don't know if I can fulfill such a sudden task" Yukari answered.

"It's fine. My master and I finished our preparations. My Lady's plans will come to fruition" Ruby commented.

"My Master" Yukari said, thinking about Ruby told her.

Ruby stood from her spot after her conversation. She was eager to let Yukari see the Lady.

"Come with me please. I want to introduce you to the Master" Ruby said, extending her right arm to Yukari.

This made Yukari feel dreadfully uneasy.

"Let us live together at the Witches' Hill for all eternity" Ruby said with a smile.

Yukari couldn't answer. She was unable to think of anything at the moment.

Nearby Yukari and Ruby, they heard bushes rustling. From the bushes, Jin appeared with Tsukune.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

"Yukari-chan, thank the heavens you're ok" Tsukune said.

Jin looked impassive but he quickly crouched down to Yukari.

"Don't make us worry about you, Yukari. You may be smart, but you're still young person" Jin said with a tender voice.

"I'm sorry, Jin-kun. I'll be there with everyone soon" Yukari responded.

Jin and Tsukune noticed Ruby near Yukari.

"Who's the person near you, Yukari?" Tsukune asked curiously.

"Oh her?" Yukari asked.

(Play Shiki OST - Untitled)

Before Yukari answered, Ruby raised her staff to fight. The gem glowed ominously with a light pink.

"Do you two plan to desecrate our hill, humans?" Ruby asked seriously.

Jin took notice of Ruby's attitude.

"We came up here to find out about what caused a couple we saw earlier to die. Unfortunately, the search was all for naught. We decided to find Yukari-chan since she got separated from our friends. Does that answer your question, Sorceress" Jin said.

Ruby responded by making the gem charge brightly.

"Ruby-san, don't do it" Yukari said.

Unfortunately, Yukari's words fell on deaf ears. The plants near Tsukune suddenly became reanimated into monsters. The bushes became monstrous with a large, gaping mouth with sharp teeth. They all looked hungry.

"What on earth are these things?" Jin asked in surprise.

Jin wasted no time and zoomed towards Tsukune. He quickly jumped into the air as a plant monster was about to devour Tsukune from behind.

"Those are magical plant monsters! These type of creatures are known to ambush humans and devour them alive" Yukari answered.

Jin and Tsukune backed down from the plants. The aggressive look they gave was unnerving.

"I'm not going to be plant food in this place!" Jin said in anger.

He charged an aura of ice and caused the plant monster to wither.

"Least we know they have an elemental weakness from ice. Its likely fire would also kill them permanently" Jin stated.

"Ruby-san, you're making the wrong judgment! Jin and Tsukune were not here are not humans. They also didn't come here to desecrate this hill" Yukari reasoned.

"Yukari-chan. Stand down from here" Ruby said harshly.

"Those boys are my friends" Yukari said.

The gem on Ruby's staff glowed. This manipulated the plants to jump and swarm the boys.

"Devour them alive" Ruby commanded.

The plant monsters came down towards the boys. Tsukune was frightened, but Jin stood his ground. He began to create a small field of ice on his feet. He began to manipulate the cold wind, making it spin violently. The rotation was creating a powerful, icy vortex.

"Icy Twister!"

Ruby, Tsukune and Yukari were shocked. From Jin's body, the icy aura created a small, but powerful twister by spinning the icy air like a top. The vortex created sub-zero temperatures which froze and withered most of the plants. Some that survived took advantage of Jin's vulnerability when he stopped spinning. Immediately, a swarm of tarot cards flew and eviscerated the plants. The cards came from Yukari, who raised her magic wand.

"Don't get in my way, Yukari-chan. I'll deal with them" Ruby said angrily.

"I won't let you do this" Yukari responded harshly.

"Why are you opposing me?" Ruby asks with hate.

"Tsukune and Jin are my friends" Yukari said.

"They're not even witches" Ruby stated.

"However, they are precious to me and I don't want to hurt them! I won't let you do such harmful actions to them" Yukari declared.

"Yukari-chan" Tsukune and Jin said quietly.

"Friends? I don't understand why... I won't accept this! Nothing in this world can understand the bonds of witches, whose friendships run deep as blood" Ruby shouted.

(Unknown OST ends here)

By then, Ruby started to levitate. From her back, six raven wings appeared, granting her the power of flight.

(Play Shiki OST - Echo)

"If something dares to threaten this bond, a witch shall purge the cause, even if it's friends from another being" Ruby stated coldly.

More plant monsters appeared an ensnared the boys. Tsukune struggled to break free from the vines. Jin remained impassive and started to shake. He created a curved blade of ice on his right arm to break free. In quick speed, he encased his left arm and performed a karate chop slice, cutting the vines.

The freedom was short lived as several plant monsters lunged towards the boys. Yukari attempted to attack, but her body was ensnared by a forest of vines. She was completely helpless as the vines made her dangle.

"I told you not to interfere, Yukari-chan" Ruby stated coldly.

Yukari was shaking in fear as the plant monsters got closer to the boys.

'The people that disappeared in this place... Were they all devoured from these monsters? I have to fight them back' Yukari thought.

Yukari attempted to fight back, but a Venus-flytrap mouth was embedded into her skin. It was draining her energy and magical power.

'I can't attack... My powers are being drained' she thought in fear.

 _"Don't make us worry about you, Yukari. You may be smart, but you're still young person."_

Jin's words rang to her ears like a tape recorder. With her remaining strength, Yukari raised her wand up.

"I can do this. I'm no longer a child! I am a GENIUS" Yukari shouted.

A blue light emanated from the pentagram star. The light engulfed the plants around her. The effect caused a flash bang, which alerted the other newspaper club members.

"What in the...?" Ruby questioned.

From Yukari, tarot cards began to manifest with angel-like wings. They formed a halo behind her and launched out to the plant monsters. The cards multiplied into a swarm, eviscerating the plants to pieces. This provided breathing room for Tsukune and Jin.

######

The newspaper club members caught up to where the flash of light was.

"What happened here?" Moka questioned.

"Those plant monsters were manipulated by a witch all along... Tsukune and Jin were able to hold them off" Mizore pointed out.

"But, who was the one that destroyed them?" Kurumu asked.

The girls looked at Yukari, who was panting. She collapsed on to her knees to catch her breath.

"Yukari-chan! Are you ok!?" Kurumu asked with worry.

"I'll be fine. I just need a rest for now. I'll recover" Yukari said with a somnolent tone.

"You idiot! Why are you so reckless!? You almost lost your life!" Kurumu said with tears.

"We can wait for the scolding some other time. The real threat is not over, but Yukari exhausted herself" Mizore said, looking towards Ruby.

(Echo OST ends here)

Everyone looked at Ruby, who was staring back with killing intent. Yukari, despite lack of energy, got up to talk with her.

(Play Shiki OST - Memento Mori)

"Ruby-san... I can't be together with you. I have friends who are important to me. I can't simply leave them. Forgive me Ruby-san, but I want to cherish my bonds with my friends" Yukari explained.

Ruby stood frozen, not changing her expression. Yukari started to walk towards Jin and Tsukune. On the way, she was barely walking straight and almost lost her balance. Kurumu noticed immediately.

"Hold up! I told you not to push yourself! Let me carry you" Kurumu suggested.

"Don't be afraid, Kurumu-san. I'll be ok desu. A witch's self-regeneration is strong to help keep me moving" Yukari explained.

"Don't worry me like that, Yukari-chan" Kurumu said in a sisterly tone.

Ruby sighed in defeat, knowing Yukari's decision was final. She watched as Yukari hugged Tsukune and Jin tightly.

"Good thing we came to make sure you guys are ok" Gin commented.

"Either way, Yukari will be fine" Jin said.

"I'm sure she'll be ok. She's a strong witch" Tsukune said.

"I'm glad that you two aren't hurt" Mizore said.

"I agree. It's great that you two came out of this in one piece" Moka said.

"Sorry for worrying you, Moka-san. We had to get to Yukari as fast as we could. Jin was feeling worried for her" Tsukune said, looking at the jinrou, who looked away with a calm aura.

However, the peaceful moment didn't last as three vine tentacles appeared. They pierced Tsukune from the back of his shoulders. Blood sprayed like a fountain, most touched at Jin, who stood shell shocked. Everyone had a second to realize what happened.

"I will bring Yukari-chan back to my Lady, no matter what. Even if I have to sever the bonds of her friends through death" Ruby said with an insane expression.

(Play Shiki OST - Thirteen Moons)

"Tsu...ku...ne" Jin said slowly.

A look of horror was on his face. Time started to slow down as a drop of sweat mixed with Tsukune's blood fell from Jin's skin and hit the ground. The moment the liquid hit the ground, a loud tormented scream echoed throughout the region.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone looked at Jin, who was screaming mad. They all stood back from the immense aura as the sky was lit with white and blue. The force of the aura ripped his t-shirt, revealing his scars. The aura masked them, growing brighter to the point they can't see his skin. His eyes were reverted to their jinrou state with blue irises glowing brightly.

"No... Tsukune... NOOOOO!"

Moka's tormented scream followed. However, her aura was unleashed in an unstable manner. Her aura eventually receded as Jin's was unrestrained, forcefully causing Inner Moka back into her seal. Gin, Kurumu, Yukari and Mizore watched as Jin's tormented screams were growing louder.

"UUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

 **"This aura and power... It's dangerous... EVERYONE, GET AWAY FROM HIM! HE'S LOST HIS SANITY"** Inner Moka said with fear.

Everyone heeded Inner Moka's warning and quickly ran away from Jin as his aura consumed the sky, causing icy air to form around him. During their run, they retrieved Tsukune, where Yukari began to heal him, using a healing spell.

"Ugh… What happened to me?" Tsukune asked.

"You were hit by a sneak attack from Ruby. She was attempting to finish her mission to recruit me till Jin lost himself in a flashback. This one seems to be more tormenting than the other times" Yukari said with fear.

Tsukune looked towards Jin, seeing him encompassed in an icy aura that was sparking with electricity.

Jin slowly stood up with a fearful expression. His icy aura sparked in the air, creating lightning around him. A particularly strong flashback kept appearing in his head rapidly. Ruby, who took notice of the aura, lost her balance and fell to the ground.

"I-Is this that boy's true power...!? How destructive" Ruby said with fear.

Mizore looked at Jin with a worried expression. She felt the immeasurable pain Jin was unleashing from the screams.

"You...dare...harm...MY...FRIENDS!?"

The loud shout was ear-splitting as Jin moved in fast speeds towards Ruby. The speed in which Jin was going made him appeared to be a white, foggy blur. He was outright attempting to punch the witch into mincemeat. She quickly conjured a barrier to block the attack. Jin's fist pierced through the barrier and hit her stomach hard. This made her cough a size able amount of blood.

"What...*cough* what are you?" Ruby questioned.

Ruby noticed Jin's eyes and was now frightened. He then grabbed her and hurled her up into the sky. Jin quickly flew up to the sky and delivered a powerful ax kick laced with lightning. The force of the kick sent Ruby flying down to the earth like a human bullet. The impact rocked the cliff from the full force. Ruby was incapacitated from the blow, but she wasn't dead. She squeezed out the last of her magic to soften the earth, preventing her death.

(Thirteen Moons OST ends here)

Everyone noticed the aura flaring wildly. Thunderstorms from the ice in the air began to damage the nearby sea cliffs, causing a lot of damage.

 **"We have to stop his rampage...! At this rate, Jin will become animalistic from then on at this point"** Inner Moka said loudly.

"How can we deal with him in this state!? He's already a powerhouse and now he's treating that witch like a bag of rags" Kurumu said.

"We have to make him come to his senses! Anything that would knock him out of his primal instincts will be enough. I'll go and calm him down" Mizore said.

"Don't do it! He'll rip you to the shreds" Kurumu said with worry.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure he'll hear me" Mizore said.

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

Mizore walked boldly towards Jin, who was still screaming loudly.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"I can feel your pain, Jin-kun. Stop being tormented by your memories. Please, come back to me and everyone with us" Mizore said softly.

Jin's eyes glowed brightly in a blue color. A snowstorm began to envelop him, creating a lightning storm around him. Mizore then held on to Jin's body as his loud screams echoed throughout the land.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Mizore held him close as Jin screamed loudly. Eventually, Jin could no longer stand and passed out, shaking in fear. Mizore held on to Jin as tears were streaming from her eyes. She was crying from feeling his pain. The aura masking his scars dissipated, revealing them to everyone.

"My God... What the hell happened to you, Jin?" Gin said in shock.

"H-He's been cut all over his body…!" Yukari said in frightened tone.

"What happened to him that caused this many injuries?" Kurumu asked while shaking.

"I-It's horrible... My next door friend never revealed anything about him... Now I know why" Tsukune said with a shaking, somber tone.

"It's terrible... Even in regards of yokai, it is a horrible sight to see one laced with so many scars" Moka said.

Shizuka and Seishin appeared after hearing Jin's tormented screams. They were all shocked of what they saw.

"Sora-kun... What happened to you?" Shizuka asked with worry.

"Now I understand why you resent your life so much. You've been through too much that it has become your own hell… I never realized why you hold such hate to being a jinrou, despite being granted a second life… Forgive me, Sora-san" Seishin said in a quiet somber tone.

Jin's ragged breathing was heard as he laid on the frozen ground unconscious.

(Requiem OST ends here)

That's all from here. If you want to picture the screams from Jin, try looking up at Code Geass R2 Episode 13 or any loud male screaming scene.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8: Fury of the storm. Jinrou vs sorceress

I do not own anything from both series.

(Play Shiki OST - Pendulum)

Jin was shaking. Everyone took turns watching him as the nightmares plague Jin. He was constantly tossing and turning erratically and sweating.

"Jin-kun... Please come back to us... The pain you're showing is already affecting all of us" Mizore somberly said.

The struggle seen on him was too much. Mizore left the tent to leave Jin to recover.

######

Meanwhile, the newspaper club was contemplating whether to let Ruby recover or take her life.

"What should we do...? We can't just outright kill her... There must be a reason why she has a vendetta against humans" Tsukune reasoned.

"I understand what you're saying. However, the recent events with Jin has made me feel very doubtful to even ask her" Moka said.

"Let's not suddenly think of leaving her alone. Jin already defeated her in his enraged state" Kurumu said.

"While she's attractive and all, we need to find out why she's like this" Gin said.

"Everyone, stop arguing already... Jin's slowly recovering but he won't be able to wake up for a few hours. The nightmares for him have grown severely" Mizore said.

The newspaper club was silent for a while. They couldn't think of anything else but wait.

(Pendulum OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

By then, Ruby was slowly regaining consciousness. The newspaper club heard Ruby groaning in pain. They all decided to surround her in a distance.

"-Groan-... What happened to me...? Why am I here?" Ruby questioned.

Immediately, she remembers her battle with Jin and started to shake. Before she could get up, the newspaper club surrounded her.

"We have a few questions that we want to ask with you" Mizore said in a cold tone. Ruby nodded hesitantly.

"Why do you have such condescended with humans?" Moka asked.

Ruby was reluctant to answer, but she knew that the person who overwhelmed her was near. Reluctant, she decided to answer the question.

"My parents were killed by a reckless driver. They were overrun by large trucks that were holding moving furniture" Ruby answered.

Upon hearing that, Jin suddenly woke up and screamed loudly.

"HaaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The loud scream startled everyone. They immediately raced to Jin, seeing him enveloped in an aura of ice. Mizore quickly threw herself to him and hugged him tightly.

"Snap out of it, Jin! Wake up from your nightmares!" Mizore screamed.

Eventually, Jin calmed down, but had an angry expression. He looked at Ruby who was now scared stiff.

"The person driving the moving truck… Can you describe how he looked?" Jin asked.

"He was a muscular man who was wearing a red jumpsuit. He had golden eyes and had blue colored hair" Ruby answered.

"Do you have a clear image of him...? Anything that showed what he looked like?" Jin angrily asked.

Ruby was reluctant to comply with the jinrou's demand. In spite of that, she used her magic to create a detailed picture of the man, showing exactly how he looked.

'Who is that man that's making Jin so angry?' Mizore thought with fright.

She never saw him look so angry before.

'This guy must've been the reason why Jin has such a pessimistic view in life. He has been fighting against his own nature for some time' Gin thought.

Immediately, the pressure in the surrounding area just got heavy. They noticed Jin with his anger beyond his limit. The aura was raging around him, freezing the sand on his feet. Jin's eyes became black with icy blue irises. He quickly went to a 20 foot boulder in his rage.

"TATSUMI, DAMN HIM TO HELL!"

With a loud yell, he thrust his fist into the rock, making it explode like a bomb. Jin's expression was full of anger.

Everyone heard the name loudly. They questioned whether the name was taboo or it caused him to become enraged.

"CURSE THAT BASTARD! EVEN IN DEATH, HE STILL CAUSES PROBLEMS TO EVERYONE HE MEETS!" Jin shouted.

"He definitely needs some space for now. I have a feeling it may relate to what happened with him" Moka said.

"Ok... We'll talk with him later when he calms down" Ruby said with a shake.

"Anyway, how long have you lived in that sunflower hill?" Yukari asked.

"I've lived for almost 12 years in Witch's Hill" Ruby answered.

"What is the reason of you attacking humans that visit the hill?" Gin asked.

"They've desecrated my home with their development plans on making a garbage dump there. The unnecessary destruction caused enough hatred from me to lash out at anyone trespassing. The humans didn't stop... They continued to lay waste on the beautiful hill that's now my home! I can't forgive them for doing such pointless destruction of the land" Ruby said.

"You have the same hatred that Jin possessed... However, in his case, he's planning to hunt down his kind for what they done to him. I fear he may plan to wipe them out of existence" Mizore said.

Ruby was surprised of what the yuki-onna said.

"What do you mean...? Are you saying that man who killed my parents was one of his kind?" Ruby asked

"Yes... He's been battling his own nature for some time. If you didn't get a clear picture, Jin-chan has been suffering for a while. He can relate to how you feel, but his explanation is more severe than yours" Mizore answered.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds. They were attempting to understand more about Jin.

"You wanted to kill the humans the same way Sora-san wanted to kill his kind" Gin said.

"What's wrong with me killing humans? What's wrong with Sora-san killing his kind?" Ruby asked with fury.

It took a few seconds till Moka came up with an answer.

"Isn't there any way to live with one another than causing conflict each other?" Moka asked.

"It's useless. There's no point in living together. They've started their mess and they'll have to fix it up" Ruby said with disdain.

"If your parents are dead, then who's been taking care of you?" Kurumu asked.

"Another sorceress by the name, Oyakata. She's been caring for me since I was orphaned. She's planning to kill the humans off" Ruby warned.

Everyone realized that the threat from the Witch's Hill was more serious than usual. Jin, after venting his anger outside, decided to have listen in to the conversation.

"She plans to kill the humans? Talk about being egotistical" Kurumu remarked.

Ruby looked at her with slight surprise.

"Hurting others to accomplish one's goal... How selfish and unconscionable" Kurumu said.

"That's pretty profound coming from you, Kurumu-san" Moka said.

"But she's right... Your goals are no different than a human's... Monsters also think like humans...because we have something that's almost relating to them. A soul capable of feeling emotions" Mizore conveyed.

"Witches may sound scary because of their abilities, but they are closely related to humans first off. I don't find them discomforting or any negative feelings for them" Jin commented.

Everyone turned to Jin, who was watching with an emotionless expression. They were surprised on how he provided proof to Mizore's explanation.

"Understand this... I'm heading back to that hill to talk with the real sorceress of those plant monsters. By trying to attack me, she instantly started the fight. I won't allow her to get away of what she has done" Jin said with a glare.

The glare was strong enough to scare everyone he laid eyes on. Ruby was more concerned of him than the others.

"You can't just go and fight her down! She'll tear you apart" Ruby said.

"Not until I freeze her soul in ice" Jin retorted, showing his icy aura.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

######

The Newspaper club was accompanied with Ruby to head back to the Witch's Hill. Everyone began to feel an oppressive aura encircling around the area. It was even affecting Tsukune, who was starting to tremble.

"Don't bother losing your heads here. This one will be a tough battle" Jin said.

"We know... Right now, we need to wait whether Ruby's master will answer with reason or not" Tsukune said.

Jin sighed for a second. He then looked at Ruby, who was dreadfully nervous.

"Go to your master and convince her to stop these attacks. If she doesn't, we have no choice but to fight" Jin said.

Ruby was reluctant, but she complied. Using her staff, she conjured a pair of black wings. The wings were similar to a raven's, almost appearing black as night. Ruby flew off to the mansion at the center of the sunflower fields.

######

Ruby went to entrance of the mansion to speak with her master. She opened the door and walked to a large room.

"Oyakata-sama... I want to talk with you about something" Ruby said silently.

By then, a flurry of vines ensnared her whole body. They were slowly squeezing her harshly.

"You're but a traitor to my plans, Ruby. For your insubordination, you will be punished... I already knew there were people that talked with you. For that, I'll attend to this nuisance and deal with them" Oyakata said, grabbing her spell book.

"No Oyakata-sama! Don't fight them!" Ruby shouted.

The vines around Ruby tangled around her, squeezing her body. She screamed in pain.

"Silence! I will kill them" Oyakata said with disdain.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Imaging November)

The group heard a loud scream echo from the field. They knew who it was.

"That's Toujou-san...! We need to get to that mansion" Jin said.

The group nodded and raced their through the fields. While running, several thorn vines appeared and entangled the Newspaper club members' legs. They were all trapped.

"My my... What an interesting bunch. A vampire, succubus, a fellow witch, a yuki-onna, a human, a werewolf, and a mysterious one" Oyakata said.

"You...! If I'm not mistaken, you're the one named Oyakata that Toujou-san mentioned" Jin said.

"You got it. My servant has been disobedient after meeting with you and your friends. I will not allow you to step into this area no more! You are all a hindrance to my plans" Oyakata said.

"So you don't plan to talk reasonably... Kurumu was right. You are unconscionable enough not to be reasoned with" Jin said, releasing his ice aura.

"I see we have a rebellious one. I'll deal with you shortly" the sorceress said with glee.

She then charged her magical energy and caused the sunflowers to morph into a battalion of man eating plants. She laughed maniacally as the plants swarmed Jin and his friends.

"Strength with numbers... You need to bring your A-game out if you think that'll overwhelm me" Jin commented.

With a wave of his hand, Jin created a blizzard using his cryokinesis. The plants quickly withered from the icy winds.

'Whoa... I don't want to get caught from his ice attacks anymore... That's scary enough for me to stay away from anyone he knows' Gin thought with comical fear.

"Snap out of it Gin and get out of those vines. We'll need your speed for this" Jin said.

"You don't have to tell me that twice you know" Gin retorted, breaking the vines apart.

"Impressive...for a yuki-otoko... However, these plants were created by my magic. They were created for the sole purpose of protecting this hill and to kill the humans in the city. I can easily reanimate them without tiring" Oyakata said.

'Damn, she's right about one thing. These plants will be troublesome due to their reanimation... We'll have to savagely destroy them to prevent them from regenerating' Jin thought.

"My abilities may be similar to the yuki-onna race. However, I'm not one of them" Jin said.

"Is that so? I wonder what will happen when I kill one of your friends" Oyakata asked with sadism.

Jin widened his eyes and quickly ran to Tsukune.

(Imaging November OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Thirteen Moons)

Kurumu struggled with the vines around her.

"Tsukune, stand back. These vines are no joke once they ensnare you" Kurumu said.

She then used her claws to slice the vines apart. This gave her a brief freedom before another flora of vines appeared and entangled her.

"Damn it... I don't like these vines" Kurumu complained.

The plant monsters began to shift their attention to Tsukune. They lunged at him with the intent to mince him alive. Before Tsukune could move, an icy aura washed over them. They were frozen solid.

"I won't let you harm my friends anymore" Jin said.

"Your friends will be dealing with us" Mizore said.

From Tsukune's sight, Jin and Mizore had their hands raised.

"Sora-san, Shirayuki-san... Thanks for the save" Tsukune said.

"Quick! Go to Yukari-chan, hurry! She'll make sure you'll be safe" Jin said with concern.

Jin conjured his ice powers and formed a katana of ice. After that, he created a sheathe of ice. He gave it to Tsukune.

"Use the sword I gave you. It'll protect you and help carve your way through these plant monsters" Jin said.

Tsukune nodded and went to Yukari. The ice katana was cold to the touch, but it wasn't painful. It felt comfortable to him.

######

Yukari struggled to force the vines to open up. She summoned her tarot cards and quickly sliced the vines apart. More vines appeared, ensnaring the young witch.

"Let her go!"

Tsukune's voice was loud, alerting her. He then unsheathed the ice katana and made a quick slash. The vines fell apart and froze before hitting the ground.

"Thank you, Tsukune-san! It's dangerous here so leave these guys to us" Yukari said.

"I'm not leaving this spot, Yukari-chan! I'll fight alongside my friends till the end" Tsukune said with conviction.

Kurumu regrouped with Tsukune and Yukari, irritated with the plants.

"It's an elder witch we're fighting against. This won't be easy to deal with" Kurumu said.

Mizore and Jin stood near Tsukune, ready to fight them off.

"I won't allow you to harm another innocent person" Jin said with anger.

"Everyone... Let's fight this sorceress and teach her a lifelong lesson" Mizore said.

"I'll have to free Moka-San from those plants! Please, I need some help to reach her" Tsukune begged.

"Don't worry. We'll rescue her from those vines" Jin said.

(Thirteen Moons OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau De Vie)

The Newspaper club ran to where Moka was being held. She was screaming as the vines started to squeeze on her body harshly.

"Tsukune, help me" she shouted.

Tsukune ran quickly to reach her. He then held the ice sword in Iaido style and sliced the vines that were holding Moka.

"Thank you, Tsukune" Moka said.

By then, the plant monsters looked more ferocious than usual. They quickly formed a wave, attempting to bury the couple.

"Tear them all to shreds! Leave nothing of them behind" Oyakata said.

"Oyakata-sama, stop this already! You're only causing more pain to the other innocent people!" Ruby said.

"Silence! I don't know how you escaped, but that hardly matters" Oyakata said.

She raised her wand at Ruby and forced the plants to entangle her completely. The mass of plants ensnared her body completely like a cocoon, leaving her head out. She then sent a tentacle to Ruby, which whipped her face. This got the attention of Jin, who was watching. She then made the plants pile up on the couple. Jin watched for a few seconds, trying to understand what happened.

"No... Not here" Jin said shakingly.

Jin lost his strength on his legs. Another flashback came to him. It was a sight of him seeing several shiki being chased down and killed. This had the effect of causing him to succumb to his rage.

"HhaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Everyone noticed Jin's angered face and stepped away from him. He disappeared from their sights and sliced the vines that ensnared Ruby. With quick speed, he took Ruby and left her near the campsite at the beach. While unconscious, her magic was slowly healing her body.

"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!" Jin shouted with all his fury.

Oyakata took notice of the angered jinrou and focused her attention on him. She made the plant monsters that held Tsukune and Moka converge on to Jin. With a mighty jump, Jin went up to the sky and performed a drop kick. This caused a shockwave of ice to spread. This freed Moka and Tsukune from them.

"My plants! Damn you to hell, snow brat!" Oyakata said, summoning more plant monsters.

Jin retaliated by using a bullet kick to ward them off. The newly summoned monsters were torn apart as each kick connected to them with explosive force.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

'Whoa... Talk about machine gun kicking... He's no slouch in martial arts' Mizore thought.

"Tsukune, help Moka by taking her rosary off. Jin's power is starting to grow weak" Yukari said.

Tsukune wasted no time and quickly took the rosary off. An explosion occurred which alerted everyone. Moka's aura spiked around the field of monster plants, causing them to be blown apart.

"You're growing reckless in each battle, Tsukune. Yet, I'll have to commend you for your bravery and your ability to stand against such odds" Inner Moka replied.

"A vampire unleashed from her seal. How interesting" Oyakata said, willing the monsters to fight Moka.

 **"How pathetic. You don't know much about my true strength"** Inner Moka remarked.

She quickly twisted herself in the air, landing several kicks on the monsters.

"What a nuisance" Oyakata said.

Moka then jumped to catch up to her, startling her.

 **"Old fool... Realize the mistakes you're making"** Inner Moka said.

She performed an axe kick which sent her down to the ground. The blow was strong enough to nearly cripple Oyakata.

"Did she stopped her?" Tsukune asked.

"I'm not sure... More importantly, we need to calm Jin down... He's losing himself to his anger" Yukari said.

"Oyakata-sama, please stop this! You'll destroy the area" Ruby begged.

"I...will protect the Witch's Hill! Even I have to destroy everything around this area" Oyakata said with near insanity.

The sorceress forced a great deal of magic to the pieces of the plant monsters. The pieces glowed an ominous red, combining their mass.

"S-She's capable of advanced magic" Yukari said in shock.

"What do you mean" Kurumu asked.

"She's capable of transmogrification! It's making the plants monsters we fought larger and stronger" Yukari explained.

The plant monsters now stood at 10 feet in height. They looked intimidating to the newspaper club.

"Sheesh, these guys are the essential phrase, 'What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger'" Mizore commented.

"Save the comedy for later. We'll have to hit harder to take them down" Kurumu said.

"Quit distracting yourselves in your arguments and focus on the situation at hand! We've got to stop that sorceress from causing problems" Gin said with irritation.

Gin quickly leaped and performed a karate chop on one of the plant monsters. It was sliced clean in two.

"Leave it to our club president for doing something stylish" Yukari joked.

Kurumu and Mizore went for their targets and attacked them. Kurumu sliced them apart with her claws while Mizore froze them solid with her ice powers.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Requiem)

Jin was weakening at a startling rate. He used a great deal of his power, which caused him to succumb to his thirst for blood. He slowly made his way to Mizore, freezing any plant monsters that dared to approach him. Unknown to him, Ruby was flying to the battlefield, noticing the jinrou's weakened state.

'No... I won't...let my...hunger...get the better of me' Jin thought.

His Shiki instincts were growing stronger. He slowly trudged to Mizore, where they were fighting the giant plant monsters. The girls noticed Jin looking lethargic.

"Jin-kun! Are you ok?" Mizore asked in concern.

Jin slowly went to her neck and bit her. This surprised her for a second, but she understood. The icy blood was flowing to his mouth, but Mizore didn't feel faint. She only felt her strength weaken a little, something that she shook off. Everyone noticed Jin holding on to Mizore.

"W-w-what the heck are you guys doing?" Kurumu stuttered.

The yelling from Kurumu made everyone turn to see Jin giving what looked like a vampire's kiss to Mizore. Jin moved his head, showing fresh blood near his lips. Everyone realized that he was feeding on Mizore's blood.

"Jin-san... How were you able to feed on Mizore's blood...? A vampiric being would have difficulty handling it" Yukari asked.

"Let's just say that it helps with my abilities. I didn't feed on a yuki-onna before when I had my powers as I mentioned before. However, we'll talk about this when we deal with the sorceress" Jin said.

"You're a stubborn bunch... Too bad I'll have to destroy you all" Oyakata said.

She made the plant monsters converge to the Newspaper club. Tsukune managed to impale two of them with the ice sword, freezing it solid. Gin raced his way to a small group and blitzed them with his speed. Kurumu made her claws longer and sliced the monsters apart. Yukari used her tarot cards to destroy them, while Mizore used her ice powers to freeze them. She had ice claws to fight them physically. Moka destroyed the rest by kicking them.

"How much do we have to deal with these small fry!?" Kurumu said tiredly.

"We'll have to keep fighting them down" Mizore said, out of breath.

"We don't have much of a choice" Yukari said.

"Tell me about it... These guys are relentless" Gin complained.

"It'll result in a stalemate if we battle the plants! The main target is Oyakata" Jin said.

He then dashed to Oyakata and performed a midair combo of punching and kicking. He twisted his body with each punch and kick at Oyakata. The flurry of attacks caused Jin to gain air time. He then performed a forward somersault, swinging his right leg down on Oyakata's head. This infuriated the sorceress.

"How dare you attack me! YOU WILL ALL DIE!" Oyakata shouted.

A large mass of plant monsters appeared and converged to Oyakata. Her eyes turned into a demonic red color as the plants began to transmogrify.

"Oh no... This is bad" Yukari said.

"What's wrong Yukari-chan?" Kurumu asked.

"Oyakata-san is using a forbidden spell! At this rate, she'll never retain her original form!" Yukari said.

"Oyakata-sama, please don't this! You're risking your life if you perform the spell!" Ruby shouted.

Jin slowly walked up to Ruby and placed an understanding hand on her left shoulder. She looked at the jinrou, who had a cold expression.

"She's beyond our reasoning... I'm afraid we'll have to put her out of her misery" Jin said.

By then, a flurry of vines ensnared Ruby, Moka, and Mizore.

"Hahahaha! This spell allows me to absorb and assimilate any yokai's abilities and powers! This power... The vampire's power, along with the yuki-onna, are strong" Oyakata said.

Jin was angry with Oyakata. His eyes became dark with his icy blue irises glowing.

"Turning yourself into an incomplete monster for your purpose to destroy humans... Your view of life is just callous" he said.

Oyakata squeezed Mizore harshly with the vines. This made her scream in pain, riling Jin.

"LET HER GO YOU BASTARD!" he shouted.

"Oh? I didn't think you have feelings for this snow girl. Perhaps I could squeeze her till she pops like a balloon" Oyakata taunted.

"I'M WARNING YOU...! RELEASE HER!" Jin demanded.

"Oh I wonder what would happen if my vines would puncture her from the inside out" Oyakata said with glee.

"SHUT UUUUUUPPPPPPPPPP!"

(Requiem OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Jin's aura spiked to immeasurable levels. This startled the sorceress.

'What power...! His emotions are tailored to his aura' she thought.

Jin charged forward and pounded the amalgamation. He laced his attacks with his ice aura, freezing Oyakata.

"Hahahaha... That won't work! Continue attacking me, it'll only force me to draw more of your friends' essence till they die" Oyakata said.

Jin growled as his anger quickly spiked.

"Damn you... AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Jin's scream was loud and long. The oppressive pressure from him grew stronger, overwhelming Oyakata's power.

"What are you? You're nothing like the beings I've fought before" she questioned in fear.

Jin didn't answer and dashed forward. He used his ice powers to create katars on his arms. He flaked his arms in quick movements, eviscerating the plants.

"If Jin continues slaughtering the plants, it'll drain their life force clean! There has to be a way to stop this" Tsukune said.

"There's only one way. Destroy the magical item that acts as their conduits for their magical power. It'll stop their power completely. That spell book is her conduit so it'll work" Yukari said.

Jin heard Yukari's explanation and quickly jumped up to what remained of Oyakata's original body. The spell book was surrounded by a makeshift book stand from the plants.

"Now PERISH!" Jin shouted.

Jin stabbed the book with his left hand that were turned into claws, causing it to freeze into ice. Using his cryokinesis, he willed the ice to explode. It destroyed the book, disrupting Oyakata's magic.

"You bastard! What have you done!?" she screamed.

The magical power surrounding her began to react violently. The chimera was starting to pulsate rapidly. Before everyone knew it, a violent explosion occurred. Moka, Mizore, and Ruby flew off from the explosion. Jin instinctively caught Mizore, while Tsukune caught Moka. Jin, noticing that Ruby was thrown at a further distance, jumped up the sky and caught her in mid-flight. The three girls were exhausted from the draining of their powers.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

"We managed to stop the threat, but...I don't like the idea of turning this place into a garbage dump. I'll have a word with the governor of this prefecture" Jin said.

"What are you planning to do, Sora-san?" Gin asked.

"I'm planning to convince him to turn this place into a nature preserve. It's not worth changing a beautiful sight into something horrific" Jin said.

The sun was already up, giving time for Jin to dash his way to the city hall.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

Jin was running at a fast pace to see the governor. He was able to hear rumors of the person heading to town hall.

'He should be here. Might as well start talking with him' he thought.

Jin approached the man, which got his attention. Several bodyguards began to shift their attention to the governor, blocking Jin from getting any closer to him.

"Yes, how can I help you?" the governor asked.

"Are you the governor of this prefecture?" Jin asked.

"Yes. Who wants to know?" the governor questioned.

"Someone who's asking a request. Do you know of a place rumored to be called the Witch's Hill?" Jin asked.

"I'm familiar with that place... What are you asking for and for what purpose?" he questioned.

"That place shouldn't become a garbage dump. Tourists from around the world would stop by to see a beautiful field of plants. Why not turn the area into a nature preserve?" Jin said.

The governor began to think carefully. He heard about the development project of turning the area into a garbage dump. He didn't like the idea upon hearing it. However, Jin provided an alternate solution, which proved beneficial for the environment and economy of Japan.

"You have a good suggestion, not to mention a keen sense of sightseeing. I'll have a word with the development planners who want to turn that area into a garbage dump. It's not environmental, if that's what your implying" the governor said.

Jin knew what he questioning. He began to think of an excuse, only thing of the recently killed Oyakata.

" _I'll protect this field, no matter the costs"_

"Yes. But not just for environmental reasons. It was from a late friend's request, who loved the fields. At her last breath, she wished the sunflower fields to be preserved" Jin said.

"Very well. I'll spread word to the people. Thank you for pointing the place out to me" the governor said.

'He took it well. I managed to fulfill Ruby's and Oyakata-san's request to preserve the place' Jin thought.

Jin slowly left the town hall and raced his way back to the Newspaper club. He was able to move swiftly, without alerting anyone of his abilities.

(Fir Trees OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - SHIKI)

Everyone was waiting patiently for Jin to arrive at the cliff side. The school bus was about to arrive shortly, according to Shizuka's prediction.

"I wonder what's taking him a while… He seemed to head to something important, but what fo?" Kurumu asked.

"Not sure what it is that made him dash off. We'll find out when he gets back" Tsukune said.

Jin ran at a fast speed to see everyone. They were surprised when a minor sonic boom sounded out.

"Can't you try to act a little human for once than running like a bullet?" Tsukune questioned comically.

"I had to rush back here. Don't ask where I went" Jin said.

Jin was staring at the sunrise from the cliff side. It was a melancholy moment as he walked to Ruby, who was shedding tears.

"Forgive me, Toujou-san… I had no choice but to take your master's life" Jin said with a sad tone.

"I understand that you have to… Her beliefs of the humans made her fail to realize the virtuous side of humans. I was almost like her, but you managed to free my soul from her corrupted beliefs. I'm grateful enough from that" Ruby explained.

"Either way, I managed to fulfill a wish that she would've seen if she was still alive" Jin said.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"You'll see in a day or two. For now, be patient" Jin answered.

Everyone remained quiet as Jin and Ruby looked towards the sunflower fields. By then, Shizuka came by. She looked more jovial than usual.

"Everyone, we're taking a trip up to the mountains. I've suggested this with the Headmaster so we can have some camping to do. We'll be heading a town to rest before we go there" Shizuka said.

'A trip to the mountains? Why haven't I heard that yet? Also speaking with the Headmaster… What is she implying?' Jin thought comically.

######

Everyone boarded the bus as it went to a dimensional portal. While the lights were flashing, everyone began to talk to Jin.

"So, where did you go earlier?" Tsukune asked.

"You didn't hear what I said earlier, did you? Alright, I'll answer, but only once. I went to the governor of this prefecture to let him know about the Witch's Hill. More specifically, I convinced him that the place can be used as a nature preserve than a garbage dump" Jin said.

"Dang man... You know your stuff on what to do" Gin commented.

"I've done what I can for Ruby's late master. The sunflower fields will depend on the governor's actions from here" Jin said.

Mizore hugged Jin closely. She had an elegant smile on her face.

"You're always caring for others, Jin-kun. That's what I love about you" Mizore said.

"That reminds me. How are you able to feed on Shirayuki-san's blood? No ordinary vampire would be willing to attempt that" Kurumu asked.

"I happen to be a jinrou, as I mentioned over one hundred times… In any case, Mizore suggested that I would feed on her blood, but I refused. She pestered me till my shiki instincts took over. Unwillingly, I fed on her blood in small amounts. The amount was enough to not endanger her well-being, even in combat.

"How many gulps do you take?" Moka asked with concern.

"About 1 or 2 gulps per bite. I only bite when I have to. I'm still disgusted with my nature" Jin said.

The flashing lights began to flow bright, interrupting their conversation. They all closed their eyes as the flash was blinding to them.

######

The flash died down, revealing a mid-sized town. Immediately, Jin gasped of what he saw, recognizing the place. Everyone took notice of his expression, which was shown with shock and fear.

"T-This is... Mizobe Town!"

(SHIKI OST ends here)

That's all from here.

This ends the Witch's arc. I will now focus on the flashback arc on Jin's history. There won't be any jokes for this time.

Forgive me for not uploading. I had writer's block from this story. I had to find details for the story which made me halt it.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9: The cursed past. Revelations of Sotoba. Part 1

I do not own anything from both series.

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

Jin was shaking like a leaf on the school bus. The very town that hold such dark memories to him was at his sight. Everyone saw him shaking, as though he was cold.

'He's shaking so much... He must have something of a bad history of this place' Ruby thought.

"Why are we...at such a place" Jin questioned, trying to suppress his shaking.

Mizore could see Jin's fearful tone. She now realized why.

"Calm down, Jin-kun. We'll find out why we are here" Mizore said with a calm tone.

The reassurance didn't help Jin at all. Sudden flashbacks came to him rapidly as the bus went to a familiar but old inn.

"Excuse me, I would like to rest at a room for tonight, along with some friends" Shizuka said.

"Coming" a male voice sounded.

Jin recognized the voice. It felt too familiar to him.

"Honey, we have guests at the lobby" the male voice said.

"I'm coming, Dear. Please wait a minute" a female voice said.

The voices of the couple were eerily familiar for Jin. Everyone noticed Jin having a horrified expression.

"What's wrong, Jin-kun? Are you ok?" Mizore asked.

Jin didn't answer as he felt his body become heavy. Before she knew it, Jin fainted in the lobby.

"Jin-kun! Get a grip of yourself! Jin-kun!"

Mizore's shouting and Jin's fainting alerted everyone. The Newspaper club was surprised of seeing him faint so suddenly. Before they had a chance to assess, the owners of the inn appeared.

"What happened here?" the woman asked.

"Our friend fainted for reasons we don't know of... We couldn't find any answers as to why he did" Tsukune said.

"Take him to a spare room so he can relax. He'll snap back when-"

The woman stopped as she looked at the face of Jin. She was completely shocked to see him.

"ANATA! COME QUICK! IT'S SOMEONE FROM SOTOBA!" the wife said.

The husband ran to meet with his wife. When he rushed to see what the occurrence was, he was greeted with a familiar figure.

'It can't be...! I thought he was dead during that time! How did he survive?' the man questioned.

Before the Newspaper club realized it, the couple brought Jin to a spare room. Mizore followed along, feeling concerned for the jinrou.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

######

The newspaper club members were shocked of the actions. They took notice of what the couple said.

"Those people were survivors of Sotoba... This town is the neighboring area of the village" Moka said.

"That's right... I almost forgotten that. There are only several hundred people that survived the incident. I don't think it's wise to question them" Yukari said.

"Who would've though we ended up encountering more survivors?" Gin said in amazement.

"That said, we may want to be sure the people we met aren't...questionable for their mentality. They must've been through something serious so we should keep it down" Tsukune said.

"Well said, Aono-san. For the moment, let's make sure Jin-kun recovers" Mizore said.

Ruby watched the interaction in surprise. She was baffled of what was happening.

'That married couple looked as though they know Jin... I might something out from him' Ruby thought.

######

Jin was having multiple flashbacks appearing. The sudden memories of Sotoba came flooding into him. He tossed and turned himself as he tried to fight off the horror. However, he was unable to fight the nightmares. His body was sweating heavily.

'Why... After all I've been through, why do I have to revisit that place...? Hasn't this world caused enough problems for me?' Jin thought in question.

The flashbacks caused Jin to see them in his mindscape. It felt unnerving and cold. The only form of protection was shown in the form of a beacon of light. Jin cowered into the beacon, trying to fight off his visions.

'This is my curse... All of the pain, sadness... Everything I lost is replaced with a void' Jin thought.

######

The Newspaper club went to check with Jin. Everyone felt concerned, but no more than Mizore, who sat down near him.

"Jin, please come back to us... Come back for all of us" she said.

Mizore kneeled in front of Jin. She took notice of him sweating profusely. It made her feel terrible to see him in such a state while unconscious.

'He's been trying to avoid this place for reasons found in his past. I have to talk to him so he can explain everything to everyone' Mizore said in concern.

By then, the inn keepers came up to Mizore and Jin. They looked concerned mainly on the unconscious jinrou.

"I'll gather everyone here so we can explain why we suddenly shout like that" the wife said.

Mizore nodded and waited for a few minutes. The Newspaper club gathered to where Jin was unconscious. They were all perplexed on why they were in one room for discussion.

"Listen to us carefully everyone. Since you have met with one of the people we knew, we'll explain everything. My name is Haru Hasegawa. This is my wife, Chiyomi Hasegawa" the man said in introduction.

The Newspaper club nodded in respect to the married couple. They didn't expect much from them, but wanted more of their questions answered.

"We are survivors of Sotoba village... The fire that destroyed our village forced us to move into Mizobe town. I may sound crazy or abstract, but I'll let you know of this... Everyone who survived what happened in Sotoba had experienced cases of depression, survival's guilt and nightmares." Haru explained.

The Newspaper club were surprised of what they heard. They all looked at Jin, whose unconscious form was breathing raggedly. The Hasegawas began to explain more.

"The fire didn't create these awful psychological conditions... It was what occurred before the fire that forever haunts us" Chiyomi explained.

"Does it relate to the mysterious cases of anemia that occurred months before the fire?" Moka questioned.

"So you read the news article of the village. That saves us some time in explanation... In any case, what happened out there was something unexplainable. I fear for the younger generation's minds after seeing such horrific sights" Chiyomi said.

By then, Jin started to regain consciousness. He looked around and noticed the Hasegawa couple.

"H-Hasegawa-san, Hasegawa-chan…" Jin stuttered.

"Jin... It really is you" Haru said with melancholy and joy.

"You two managed to escape the fire. I'm glad you two are you doing ok" Jin said with concern, but sounded hollow.

The Hasegawa couple came and hugged Jin.

'Jin-kun sounded open just now... He must've felt like a lost child with no one to relate to. It's a depressing sight for him to see the people he knows' Mizore thought.

Gin looked at Jin as he felt sympathetic for him.

'Poor guy... He held his emotions away, not wanting to associate anyone near him... I wonder if the answers of his past are in Sotoba, or what's left of it' Gin thought.

Kurumu made a sad smile, seeing Jin reunite with lost friends.

'He's been having his own vendetta with himself of his kind's nature. I wish he would try to live his life and cherish what he has... It's pitiful to see him suffer after all that happened in his past' Kurumu thought.

Tsukune and Moka looked at the couple embracing Jin. It was a bittersweet sight for old friends to reunite.

"I thought you died in the village... How did you survive?" Chiyomi asked.

Jin remained quiet for a few seconds. He took a deep breath, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

'I don't like this feeling... Sora-kun might reveal his nature to them' Shizuka said.

"I was dead... I died before the fire started" Jin said.

"But how? Your body has a pulse and you feel warm" Haru said.

"You don't understand... I'm no longer human now" Jin said somberly.

The Hasegawa couple gasped after hearing the reply. They didn't expect such an answer from him.

"What do you mean, Jin...? Are you saying that...?"

Haru and Chiyomi looked at Jin was quietly shedding tears with his eyes closed. When he opened them, his eyes became dark with red irises. The Newspaper club all felt the atmosphere changed from bittersweet to sorrowful.

"I'm a shiki... To be precise, a subspecies called jinrou" Jin answered in a hollow tone.

The couple embraced the boy tightly. It was an unexpected answer to hear from the fourteen year old boy. The Newspaper club all felt sorry for him. None was more sorrowful than Mizore, who was shedding tears.

"How were you able to live with your current lifestyle...? It must've been a struggle for you to handle your nature" Chiyomi questioned.

"Believe me when I say this... I struggled with this monstrous nature of mine... I had to leave to the mountains on certain times to feed on wild animals. I mainly feed on carnivores to for better control. The feeding crushed my hopes of ever becoming human" Jin explained.

The Hasegawa couple could do nothing but shed tears. A fellow survivor they managed to encounter has become so broken, it was a miracle he didn't commit suicide.

"That's how you were able to blend into human society... Is there anything else that makes you...you know, less human?" Haru asked.

Jin slowly raised his hand. From it, an ice crystal formed. It started to grow in a snowflake shape.

"When I was turned into a jinrou, I suddenly have the ability to manipulate ice. I don't know why, but I had an intense liking to ice during my days as a human. It's tailored to my emotional strength. Whenever I experience a flashback or so, my ability goes out of control, creating blizzards" Jin explained.

The explanation was enough for the Hasegawas. They quickly hugged Jin to help alleviate his psychological torment.

"We're so sorry to hear this from you. Whether you're a shiki or a human, you are who you are, Jin. You have friends whom you can talk with. You don't need to run from your past anymore" Chiyomi said.

Jin still had an emotionless face. Chiyomi's opinion didn't help alleviate the damage.

"I fear that attempts to alleviate my psychology will be all for naught. I'll forever remain like this till the end of time, Hasegawa-chan. Did you not realized that kids around my age would end up becoming victims from the shiki?" Jin said in question.

Mizore went to Jin and hugged him closely. The Hasegawa couple looked at Mizore's interaction with him.

"Oh... Forgive us for not speaking to you all. It's been a while since we encountered a fellow citizen from Sotoba" Haru said.

"There's no harm done to us. We were glad there was a familiar face for him nyaa" Shizuka said.

"Mind if we introduce each other?" Haru asked.

"Sure. My name is Nekonome Shizuka. The rest of the people that are with me, Jin included, are Yokai Academy's Newspaper club" Shizuka said.

'She only introduced what club we're from' the members thought comically.

"Everyone, please introduce yourselves to the inn keepers" Shizuka said.

"My name is Aono Tsukune. I'm a next door neighbor of Jin-san" Tsukune said.

Moka came next after him. "My name is Akashiya Moka. I'm a friend of Mizore and Tsukune" Moka said meekly.

Kurumu came up after. She was more open, but felt nervous.

"Pleased to meet you. My name is Kurono Kurumu. I'm friends with Tsukune" she said.

Mizore came up next. She had an impassive face.

"My name is Shirayuki Mizore. I'm the girlfriend of Sora Jin" she said boldly.

The Hasegawas couldn't help but smile, hearing that Jin was able to have a relationship. Yukari then walked up.

"My name is Sendo Yukari. I'm friends with everyone in the Newspaper club" she said.

Gin was the next person to show up.

"My name is Morioka Ginei, but everyone calls me Gin" he said.

Ruby was the last person to introduce. She reluctantly walked up to the couple.

"My name is Toujou Ruby. I'll be working as a staff assistant with the Yokai Academy Headmaster" she said.

Haru and Chiyomi were happy that Jin was able to meet new people.

"Everyone, thank you for providing Jin with good times. I'm glad that he has supportive friends" Haru said.

######

Everyone talked with each other for some time. During the early evening, the rooms were given individually. It was currently dark and the moon was shining in a crescent shape. Jin was sitting on his room, looking out at the window. He still felt uncomfortable being in Mizobe town.

'I can't believe the Headmaster would choose this place, out of everything I've been to... Whatever his plan is, I don't like it. Damn it' he thought.

He heard his room door open. From the dark hallway, Mizore walked in. She was wearing a white-blue yukata with snow themed patterns. The yukata's hem reached down to her lower shin, making her appear graceful.

"Mizore-chan, why are you here? Shouldn't you be in your room?" Jin asked on surprise.

"I want to come over and talk with you. Am I not allowed to see you?" she said in a cute tone.

Mizore was giving her allure to Jin. He sighed with a blush.

"Alright, alright. You can talk with me. But please note that I'm somewhat touchy after coming back here" Jin answered.

Mizore went close to him and laid down near him.

"Tell me, Jin-kun... Is your past horrific enough to rid you of your emotions?" Mizore asked.

Jin was reluctant to answer, concerned she may become morbidly curious of his past. Unable to think of anything, he answered.

"It's something that'll look as though it was written from a horror novel" Jin said.

"I see. From what I heard, Nekonome-sensei is planning to head out to the mountains tomorrow. If my hunch is right, Sotoba or what's left of it, is in the same direction" Mizore said.

"You're right. It's over there, beyond that forest of trees... That barren section is where the village used to thrive, till that cursed day" Jin said with his hands shaking.

Mizore took notice of his hands shaking. She was concerned for his psyche whether he'll be prepared to handle explaining his past. She heard him sigh in exhaustion.

"I suppose Toujou-san will help in explaining the violent events of the village. If you recall back at the beach, she created a screen with her magic. It was probably using her memories, judging by how it was in her perspective... Be warned though, for I fear the sanity of the others once they see what I have experienced. Plus I may react violently upon reaching the outskirts or in the village. You may have to slap me to let me regain my sanity, for I do not know how long I'll remain sane" Jin said cryptically.

Mizore knew the explanation would be a haunting experience. She was dreadfully nervous, not knowing what to expect. Much to the jinrou's surprise, she ended up staying with him in his room. She fell asleep before Jin did. The couple were interlocking their hands as they slept.

######

The next morning was a cloudy day. Shizuka woke everyone up for the trip to the mountains. She noticed Mizore sleeping with Jin but she left it alone. She did plan to berate him on sleeping with a girl however. Jin had a hollow expression marred on his face.

'The tragic village... I never thought I would go there to see such a hollow landscape' Jin thought.

The Hasegawa couple provided a meal for the Newspaper club. Jin wasn't eating his breakfast as leisurely as the others around him. Tsukune took notice of the silence from Jin, who didn't utter a word.

"Sora-san... Is everything ok?" he asked.

Jin didn't say anything. He remained quiet, not wanting to answer to anyone. Mizore took notice of his silence. She took his right hand and gave a gentle squeeze. He looked at Mizore, who had a concerned expression.

'She knows what I may have to deal with... I don't like what I may have to face upon reaching the mountain range' Jin thought.

Shizuka decided to speak out.

"Everyone, we'll be heading to a nearby mountain range. The reason we're heading there is to find something to write for the Yokai Academy News" she said jovially.

"Why are we all heading there?" Jin questioned.

Shizuka heard Jin's voice laced with a hint of venom. It sounded hateful from him to speak about it.

"Going to a village that disappeared from a forest fire... I'll let you know of this... I'm not going near that abandoned village! If you're planning to go there, I'm heading back to my home, away from this place" Jin said with anger.

Haru and Chiyomi were surprised from the angry outburst. They didn't expect to hear that from him.

"Don't take it too hard on him... We all had our issues when we were forced to move away from the village" Haru said.

"I fear that what happened in Sotoba made it worse for him... He despises the place that was once his home... It's not our right for us to explain what happened. Jin witnessed almost everything that happened prior to the fire" Chiyomi said.

The Newspaper club now felt terrible. Shizuka felt guilty but hardened her will. She was taking Jin with him, whether he liked it or not. She grabbed his left arm.

"Let go of me... Nekonome-sensei" Jin said, flashing his shiki eyes.

Shizuka was startled by the appearance of the eyes. This made her lose her grip on him as Jin left the inn.

######

Outside, Jin was planning to leave Sotoba till a hand mysteriously karate chops his neck, knocking him unconscious.

"Sheesh... This guy has been reluctant to go near the place we're heading" Gin said.

Before Gin had a chance to grab him, a cocoon of ice formed around Jin's body.

"So he's using his cryokinesis to block off any attempts... Might as well carry his body" Gin said.

Everyone ran outside to catch up, only to find Gin holding a cocoon of ice.

"Is Jin in there?" Mizore asked.

"Yeah... He created this so no one will attempt to reach him. He's unconscious, but he'll snap back when he comes to" Gin said.

Ruby remained silent as she noticed Jin's fear of the place they're heading.

######

The drive to the mountain range took about 2 hours. Upon reaching Sotoba, the forest and grasslands were barren.

"What a creepy place... This village did had something terrible, judging by those ash markings" Tsukune pointed out.

By then, Jin regained consciousness and broke out of his ice cocoon. He was beyond angry, his shiki eyes now with glowing blue irises.

"Who was the one that knocked me ou?t" he asked with rage.

Everyone pointed to Gin, who looked at the scenery. He then noticed Jin, who looked at him with murderous intent.

"Uh... Forgive me" he said in a fake tone, laughing nervously.

Jin charged at Gin in great speed. He brutally slammed him on the ground. He then threw him up on the sky, making him jump up and unleash a flurry of punches.

"YOU HAD TO BEING ME INTO THIS PLACE OUT OF ALL THE AREAS AROUND JAPAN! WHY!? WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME REMEMBER THE HORRIFIC NIGHTMARES OF THIS HELLISH SIGHT!? YOU WANT ME TO EMBRACE THIS NATURE OF MINE!?" Jin asked with anger.

Everyone noticed the brutal beating on Gin as he was kicked back down to the ground. His body was completely injured.

"I think we should leave him unless we want him to direct his anger to us" Shizuka suggested.

Everyone agreed to leave the jinrou alone as he continued pummeling Gin to near death.

"LET THAT BE A LESSON TO DO SOMETHING RECKLESS AND BRINGING ME-"

Jin looked around and noticed the sight around him. He stopped as flashbacks began to appear in a more rapid pace. This time, he can see them vividly. He can see the shiki attacks occurring, along with the massacre. He was so shocked that he screamed loudly.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone heard the scream and came up to Jin. He created a dome of ice and hid inside.

"Jin-kun" Mizore said with pained sadness.

She then slowly walked up to the dome and manipulated the ice to disappear. Mizore saw Jin cowering on the ground with a horrified expression. She then slapped Jin's face to snap him back.

"M-Mizore-chan... Why did we come here...? We shouldn't be here" Jin said.

Mizore hugged him as the shock of seeing glimpses from the past nearly broke Jin's psyche. Everyone gathered to where Jin and Mizore were.

"What happened to him?" Moka questioned.

"He must've had a revisit of his past. It was so shocking that it left him like this" Mizore answered.

Three hours have passed since they arrived. Jin was now same enough to talk.

"What do you want me to tell you all about this place...? There's nothing but dead memories of this village" Jin said with an emotionless face.

"We're here to find out what happened here" Shizuka said.

"I know you're curious about it, but I'll let you know that the history is violent. Toujou-san, do you know a spell to display a person's memories or the memories of the region" Jin asked.

"Yes, I know of a spell to help make the memories of a person or area to be viewed" Ruby said.

"Alright. I want you to conjure a magic screen to show the memories. Can it play like a movie theatre from a third person perspective, like say omnipresence" Jin asked.

"Yes. It can also bring out a person's thoughts like you were watching an anime show. Just pinpoint at which day and time you want to start and which to end" Ruby said.

"The date the incident starts at will begin on August 2 during the morning and it'll end in November 8 midnight, one year ago" Jin said.

Ruby nodded and conjured a large screen for everyone to see.

"Please bear in mind that although it'll play the memories like a movie, I can't keep the spell running for a while. A single month of memories will last about two days, depending how long they are" Ruby reprimanded.

"That'll do. It'll help provide a break to explain everything in one night" Jin said.

He then turned to the Newspaper club, who were anxious to know about the village's past and Jin's past.

"The time when everything started occurred during August 2. It was then that everything went downhill" Jin said.

That's all from here. The arc will mainly focus in a series of flashbacks shown in a theatric way. Please note that Hasegawa didn't officially state his name so I made a first name in conjunction of his surname.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10: The cursed past. Revelations of Sotoba. Part 2: Deaths

I don't own anything from both series.

(Play Shiki OST - Dance of Death)

The magic screen expanded for the Newspaper club to see everything. Static began to show till it cleared, showing an image. The image then surrounded their sight as the area shifted, showing the past. Unknown to everyone, the rosary glowed to see the memories.

######

The day was Tuesday, August 2. Jin was walking outside on a road in a sunny day. He walked till he saw Mizobe Town from a distance through the mountain pass. His choice of clothing was a blue t-shirt with navy shorts and white sneakers.

"I don't know why we had to move 8 years ago, but I'm getting more used to this village as the days go by... I wish I could move back to see the city for one more day" Jin said to the person near him.

Near Jin was Natsuno Koide. He was a friend from the city. He was wearing a yellow t-shirt, green shorts, and black white sneakers. He had purple hair that appeared wild but flowed straight down. His eyes matched his hair color. When he moved in to Sotoba, Jin sympathized with Natsuno and became good friends. They often head out to the hills to see the town from a distance.

"I agree... I don't like this village at all. The people here always stick their noses at someone else's. I find it sickening at times" Natsuno said.

'Sometimes I have to agree... The people living here are a bit too nosy at times' Jin thought.

Their privacy was interrupted from a girl, who was approaching them. She had pink hair, appearing a tone lighter than Moka's hair. Her eyes were matching her hair color, appearing slightly red. The boys took notice of her current choice of clothing. She was wearing a revealing pink-black sundress with white knee high socks and red heels. She had a pink umbrella to shield herself from the sunlight.

"Not her again... Great" Natsuno complained.

Jin merely sweat dropped and laughed nervously.

"Hi Yuuki-kun, Sora-kun" the girl said.

Natsuno ignored her and started to walk away. Jin followed along, not wanting to ignore Natsuno.

"I know that you have a hard time dealing with Shimizu-san, but try to at least give her a chance. I'm sure she has her reasons of following us" Jin said.

"I'll only feel comfortable when she stops stalking me... I often see her peaking at me from my open window at night" Natsuno said.

"Not what I had in mind... Anyway, let's get to studying. The classes are about to start in a few weeks" Jin said.

"I agree. Let's continue studying" Natsuno said in agreement.

They both went back to the village to start studying.

(Dance of Death OST ends here)

######

Upon heading back to Natsuno's home, they notice a woman with blue hair and matching eyes heading to a restaurant called Chigusa. She was wearing a yellow sundress with sandals. In spite of her younger appearance, she was well within her twenties. Jin decided to talk with her briefly.

"Good afternoon, Maeda-chan. How are you doing today?" Jin asked.

"I'm doing fine, Jin-kun. How about you and your friend?" she asked happily.

"We're both heading our way back to start studying. I could just waste a few minutes to talk with you" Jin said.

"Sure, I don't mind. What do you want to talk about?" Motoko asked.

Before Jin could talk, two children, a boy and a girl, arrived at the restaurant.

"Kaa-chan! We finished school early today!" the boy said.

"Shegeki, Shihori. I'm glad to see you got back here. Please bear in mind to never play at the motorway" Motoko said.

'She's still a little xenophobic, but at least isn't severe. Talking with her seems to help alleviate the problem' Jin thought.

"I was about to say that the weather today has been pretty harsh. I hope the elders are doing ok in Yamairi" Jin said.

Motoko had a sympathetic expression for Jin's concern.

"I'm sure the elders are doing fine. Anyway, let me continue working with Kanami-san" Motoko said.

The person Mokoto was referring to had red hair and plum colored eyes. She was working hard for the people in the restaurant.

"Ok. Thanks for cheering me up" Jin said.

Natsuno waited patiently while his friend talked with the villagers. Eventually, Jin left the restaurant and walked with Natsuno to head back for studying.

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

The boys were inside Natsuno's house, studying mathematics. Both were doing well in their algebra.

"Jin, what do you plan on doing once you graduate from high school?" Natsuno asked.

Jin began to think carefully on his future dreams.

"I'm planning to be a doctor so I'll be signing up on health majors in college. How about you?" Jin asked.

"Well, I plan to study on being a professor... I'm not certain which, but I'll find out later on" Natsuno answered.

"It's ok. Anyway, I'm currently doing trigonometry. Which part of math are you at" Jin asked.

"I'm on trigonometry as well. You're starting to catch up fairly well" Natsuno complemented.

Natsuno's parents came in, providing rice crackers and green tea for the boys.

"Hope you guys are doing ok in this heat. I provided some snacks and cold drinks" Natsuno's father said.

"Thanks. It was nice of you, Yuuki-san" Jin said.

"Don't mention it. I'm glad my son has some company" Yuuki said.

Both boys eventually took a brief break on their studying. The summer heat proved exhausting for them, even with the fan on to cool themselves.

"Sure is hot today... Say Natsuno, why don't we head out to the local spring that Tohru showed us to cool our heads off?" Jin said.

"I'm good with that... Your friend, Mutou Tohru, better not be there to splash the water on me" Natsuno said.

Jin laughed from the implication. Both boys began to walk their way to the front door.

"Natsuno, Jin. Where are you guys heading out to?" Yuuki questioned.

"We're heading out to the local spring to cool our heads off. The summer heat has been rather harsh today" Jin answered.

"Ok. Make sure you two come back safely" Yuuki said.

"Don't worry, we'll make it back. Be sure to inform Kaa-san that we left" Natsuno said.

The boys waved at him and left the house.

(Crimson OST ends here)

######

Outside in the village, Megumi was walking outside. She was looking out at the road leading to Mizobe Town.

'I wonder how it's like to live on the city... Yuuki-kun and Sora-Jin have been there' she thought.

While she was thinking in her own thoughts, a nearby tractor blew smoke at her face, ruining her sundress. This made her angry.

"I HATE THIS VILLAGE!" Megumi shouted in anger.

Her voice echoed around her, causing it to teach the mountain side. The sound was drowned by a nearby stream, which feeds into a local spring.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Youth)

The boys arrived at the spring. The water was a beautiful blue color. It was cold as ice, perfect for the boys to take a break.

"The water is relaxing during the summer. It's pretty convenient for the villagers to reach the source of the water from here" Jin said.

"Tell me about it. This heat has been killing me" Natsuno said.

The boys washed their faces in the spring. While they were preoccupied, a familiar girl was watching them from a distance. Megumi arrived at the spring by coincidence. She noticed the boys cooling off at the spring. This made her blush and almost squeal.

'Hau~... They look so handsome when washing their faces' Megumi thought as she watched.

The boys finished washing their faces and left the area. Megumi was silently following them.

"Don't you get the feeling we're being watched, Natsuno?" Jin asked.

"I have that feeling as well... Someone has been watching us" Natsuno said.

Megumi almost shifted in her position. It caused the bushes to rustle. This made the boys look around, trying to find the source of the sound.

"She's here alright... Usually I tolerate her actions, but this is going a bit far" Jin said.

"I agree... This is borderline obsession for me... Anyway, let's head back to my place now that we cooled off" Natsuno said.

(Youth OST ends here)

######

The boys made it to the village. They heard rumors going around the village.

"Did you hear? Someone has desecrated the Jizo statues around the village" an elder woman said.

"Desecrating the Jizo statues is one thing, but it doesn't alleviate our stress" an elder man said.

Jin and Natsuno were perplexed on the mysterious case.

"That's rather strange, don't you think Natsuno? Who would want to destroy those Jizo statues? Could it be vandalism or something else?" Jin questioned.

"I don't know, nor do I care. Let's head back to my place and continue studying" Natsuno said.

######

Nighttime came for the boys as they continued studying. Jin and Natsuno felt they were being watched again.

"Now I know how you feel when dealing with stalkers... It can get annoying" Natsuno commented.

"She's persistent, I'll give her that... Wish she would stop watching us from the window" Jin said.

Natsuno and Jin opened the window to see Megumi hiding in the bushes. They both look a bit irritated from Megumi's stalking.

"Natsuno, Jin. Why don't you two take a break? I've prepared some tea for you two" Natsuno's mother said.

"Sure" Natsuno replied nonchalantly.

"We're coming down" Jin said.

Both boys went downstairs to get their drinks. They noticed the time was rather late.

"Dang, I'll have to head back to my home, Natsuno. I'll see you tomorrow for another study session" Jin said.

"Sure, I'll wait for you" Natsuno replied.

(Play Shiki OST - Silent Night)

Jin left Natsuno's house and was walking back to his place. He decided to walk back to his house in spite of the distance. He heard footsteps in the forest, following him.

"Hmm? Who's there?" Jin asked.

He looked at the forest but couldn't see anything. It was pitch black, but he felt a dreadful feeling. He ran quickly hearing the footsteps grow louder.

'What the hell was that?' Jin thought.

As Jin ran through the road, the footsteps grew louder and closer.

"Damn it... Whether it's a person or a wild dog, I'm not going to be a victim" Jin said to himself.

This prompted him to hide at an alley to see who was stalking him. He took notice of a figure looking around. The figure appeared to be an adult female, but Jin couldn't make out the full appearance of the person.

'That's not Megumi... Who is that person?' Jin thought.

The female figure looked around, trying to find Jin as he hid in the alley, away from the figure's sight.

'I have to head back home immediately...! It's not safe out here with this figure stalking me' Jin thought.

He quickly dashed out of the alley and ran to the direction of his house. He heard the figure's footsteps starting to catch up to him.

'Damn it...! Whoever's following me better stop now' Jin said as he made it to his place.

Jin had a flashlight stashed at a hidden compartment near his house. When he shined the light, he saw the figure running away. He caught a glimpse of light blonde hair when the figure disappeared in the darkness.

'Whoever that was, I'm not going back home during the late night' Jin thought as he was slightly shaking.

(Silent Night OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Fir trees)

The day was August 6. The morning hours on the streets in the village weren't quiet. Police sirens were blaring. Jin took notice where they were heading to.

'That region... That's where Yamairi is' Jin said.

Jin quickly did his morning routine of brushing his teeth and eating breakfast. He quickly got dressed to see what happened there.

"I knew some of those people back there. I hope it isn't serious" Jin said in concern.

Jin made his way to Yamairi by bus, noticing the police cars parked at several houses. Upon getting close to where the police were, he smelled an awful stench permeating.

"Ugh... What is that smell? It smells like a...corpse" Jin said with worry.

He quickly dashed at the area, noticing a junior monk and police officers. Before Jin could go inside, a police officer caught him.

"Whoa there, kid. You don't want to go in there" a young male police officer said.

Jin noticed one of the bodies that was found. He started to breathe heavily.

"That's...Murasako Meiko-san... She was a healthy woman! How did she die, Takami-san?" Jin asked in shock.

"We don't know... These bodies have been here for days" the officer said.

"Don't tell me... The elders living in this area are all dead" Jin said with dread.

"I'm afraid so... I saw their bodies when I came to check up with them. It was something I didn't want to see" a young monk said.

Jin looked towards the monk. He was wearing a black, priest robe with prayer beads. He was a bespectacled young man with fair skin complexion, silver hair that was combed out of his eyes which had an emerald green color.

"Muroi-san" Jin said.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't help the elders... I know they were people that you can relate to, but they had their eventual time in life, Sora-san" Seishin said.

"I see... Was this the only case here?" Jin asked.

"I'm afraid not... In Kami-Sotoba, one of the elder's family relatives passed away this morning. His name was Gotouda Shuuji. He developed symptoms similar to a summer cold, but they weren't" Seishin said.

"I see. How did you find the bodies?" Takami asked.

"I was chanting Buddhist scriptures for the deceased. When I called here in Yamairi, no one answered the phone, so I came here. That's how I found the bodies. I rushed to their next door neighbor, Ookawa-san, to use his phone. Ookawa-san was also dead when I entered" Seishin explained.

"Did you notice anything else or see anyone?" Takami asked.

"No. I didn't see anyone else" Seishin answered.

"I see. Thank you for your cooperation" Takami said.

"Wait... What was the cause of death to the people here?" Seishin asked.

Takami was reluctant to answer due to Jin being nearby.

"According to the autopsy, it was due to natural causes. For the other bodies, we don't know since they were badly decomposed and dismembered. The likely reason of their dismemberment was due to wild dogs roaming nearby. The dismemberment wasn't caused by sharp objects" Takami explained.

Jin felt terrible to hear they passed away. He usually visits the elders to talk about life during their times.

'Elders... The things we talked about... Everything we talked about was fun knowing how we all enjoy life... It feels lonely and sad to see you all pass on' Jin thought.

Seishin provided a comforting touch on Jin's right shoulder. By then, a doctor came outside, smoking a cigarette.

"Toshio-sensei" Jin said.

"Toshio, everything ok for you?" Seishin asked.

"I attended the autopsy. It's all I could smell out" Toshio said.

"Natural causes... I suspected it was foul play, but it wasn't" Seishin said.

Toshio noticed Jin who was being comforted by Seishin.

"Jin-san, how are you doing?" Toshio asked.

"Just feeling depressed, Toshio-sensei" Jin said.

"I'll let you know of this. Being a doctor is our job to heal people. All doctors, no matter how perfect they are, will always encounter a case that they cannot help on. This is one of those times. It's because of these cases that we all strive to help the people prevent future deaths" Toshio explained sagely.

Jin was surprised upon hearing that. His depression began to slowly ebb away, but he still felt a bit down. He decided to walk back to the bus station to head back to his home. This gave Toshio and Seishin privacy for themselves.

"It's tough for the old folks in this season. However you look at it though, the old lady died after the two old men" Toshio said.

Seishin was surprised from Toshio's comment.

"It's pretty strange in my opinion. In other words, Meiko baa-san lived with the dead body for several days" Toshio explained.

Seishin remained silent, trying to figure out what is happening.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

It was a sunny day on August 8. In a region called Tomobiki, Megumi was about to send two letters in the mailbox. She was wearing a white, school shirt with a green tie, green skirt, white knee high socks and brown, Mary Jane shoes. Unfortunately, she was so anxious, she couldn't drop the letter. She was breathing heavily from her anxiety. By then, a brown haired girl came by and surprised Megumi. Her hairstyle was two pigtails ending with five-sided stars at the end. I

"Good morning, Megumi-chan" the girl said.

"Uwah! Kaori-san" Megumi exclaimed, trying to recover from her anxiety.

Megumi was hiding the letters on her hands. She was embarrassed to let her friend see them.

"You're coming to school as well?" Megumi asked.

Kaori was unsure to answer as she stared at her friend with confusion. While confused, Megumi quickly hid the letters in her bag.

######

Megumi was walking with an irritated expression on her face.

"Geez... It's bad enough I have summer school to do... Why does Tanaka Kaori have to come too" Megumi muttered in question.

"Don't feel so down, Megumi-chan. I have morning practice today" Kaori said.

Megumi didn't listen as she was peeved from her friend's sudden arrival.

"More importantly, have you heard?

The junior monk at the temple found three dead bodies in Yamairi" Kaori said.

Megumi didn't want to hear her friend talking with her.

"I don't care. Most of the villagers here are old so I won't be surprised if they die all of a sudden" Megumi said with a cold tone.

By then, a boy with orange hair was running to the girls. His hair was spiky, forming smooth points. He was holding a newspaper.

"Kaori! Megumi! The news recorded the incident of Yamairi" the boy said in excitement.

Megumi was now fuming. She didn't like the company she was having.

'Great... Tanaka Akira also has summer classes... Why do I have to be with them' Megumi questioned.

"Mou, I had enough" Megumi shouted and ran off.

"What's the matter Megumi-chan?" Kaori asked.

"It's nothing!"

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

Megumi was angry of not having her private space. She walked in a fast pace.

"Sheesh! They just don't get it" Megumi said angrily.

While she was walking, she took note of Natsuno and Jin, staring out at the mountain pass to Mizobe Town.

(Play Shiki OST - Youth)

The boys continued to stare out to the horizon. The sunny day was causing a haze to the horizon as they looked across the road.

'Oh my God...! They were watching this area and I didn't notice them! Baka! Baka!' Megumi thought nervously.

"Yuuki-kun, Sora kun" Megumi said lovingly.

She slowly approached the boys. By then, she pulled the letters out from her bag. Megumi was reluctant to give the letters to the boys so she hid the letter back in her bag. They knew she was behind them.

"Good morning, Yuuki-kun, Sora-kun. You two are looking south, towards the city again" Megumi said.

"Not her again" Natsuno said.

"Great, as if I had enough on that strange encounter four nights ago" Jin said sulking.

Megumi looked away from them.

"You're both ignoring me again. It can't be helped... You two don't have any attraction to me, so..."

Megumi's speech was silent as the boys continued ignoring her. She began to mutter to herself.

"I can't wait till I leave this village" she muttered.

Both boys looked back at her. For a split second, Megumi smiled. The boys looked away with disinterest.

'They were looking at me! It was my first time seeing them eye-to-eye' Megumi thought.

The boys looked away, not sparing another glance to her.

######

It was two in the morning on Tuesday, August 9th. Several moving vehicles were driving. By then, a loud honking sound was heard. This woke up Kanami from her sleep, along with her mother. When they got up, a bright light was shining.

"What the hell?" Kanami said.

Kanami's mother felt concerned for her daughter.

"Wait here, Kaa-san. I'll go talk with them" Kanami said.

She then went outside with an angered face.

"HEY! TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND ENOUGH WITH THE HONKING!" she shouted.

The honking stopped. Allowing her to speak normally.

"Do you know what time it is right now?" Kanami asked with a cranky tone.

Kanami and her mother took notice of a large truck, along with an SUV and a BMW.

"'Takasago Moving Company?" she questioned, reading the truck name.

The truck's right door opened. A man with blue-white sneakers, blue jeans and a white-black t-shirt. He has blue hair with both sides appearing slightly dark and shaped like ears. His golden eyes shined in the moonlight.

"Um... Forgive me for the noise. I've been driving in circles for a while and got lost" he said meekly.

Kanami felt suspicious of the man. She decided to help him.

"Where are you heading?" she asked.

The man felt thankful for her help.

"Thank you. It's a place called Sotoba" the man answered.

"Sotoba? You're in the village... I guess you didn't see the sign on that traffic signal light" she said, pointing to the sign.

The man bowed down in formal apology.

"I'm so sorry for the ruckus I caused" the man said.

"If you make a turn at that light, you'll be at the entrance to the village. Are you moving to Kanemasa?" Kanami asked.

"Kanemasa?" the man questioned.

"The area where the European style house is settled at. That place is a part of the village. Are you settling on that house?" Kanami asked.

"Ah yes. We're the Kirishiki family. Forgive me for causing such trouble on our first meeting" the man said.

The three vehicles left the premises of the restaurant. They drove their way to the village as Kanami and her mother watched.

"Good grief... Strange people will be moving in this village after all" Kanami commented.

"It does look like it" her mother said.

######

During the morning on Thursday August 11, the villagers were talking of what happened two days ago.

"Have you heard of the people moving into the village at Kanemasa?" an elder man asked.

"Yes. I heard they stopped at Chigusa to ask directions at 2 AM, am I right?" an elder woman asked.

"It was a young man driving the truck, according to Kanami" a lady farmer said.

"It was a truck, an expensive car and an SUV" another elder lady said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Dry Lake)

In school, Jin and Natsuno heard the rumors spread like wildfire in the village.

"That sounds rather strange... Who would suddenly move that late at night? There are wild dogs roaming around the forests of the village. It doesn't seem right" Jin said.

"What do you mean?" Natsuno asked.

"Unless the family member has a problem with the sun, it sounds suspicious enough that European style home was suddenly built in Kanemasa. It also accounts to why that market suddenly closed and was demolished... It sounds farfetched, but suspicious as well" Jin said.

"You have a point there, Jin. Still, we have new neighbors. Anyway, let's get back to studying. The school is almost over" Natsuno said.

######

At Chigusa, Motoko heard the rumors from the villagers. It was one in the afternoon.

"The new people that moved in town" she asked.

"Yeah. They showed up without warning, waking both of us in the process" Kanami said.

"Kanami-san, Tae-san... I hope you two feel better" Motoko said.

"Thanks for sympathizing, Motoko-san. Anyway, let's get to work in this restaurant" Kanami said.

"I'll try to help, but my body says otherwise for today" Tae said.

"Take a rest if you need it, Kaa-san. I can handle the work with my friends and co-workers" Kanami said.

(Dry Lake OST ends here)

######

About two hours later, Megumi was watching the European house from a distance. She looked at the place with admiration.

'What a beautiful house' she thought.

Megumi was imagining of meeting with European folks, making her giggle. Her daydream was interrupted by Kaori, who was walking her dog.

"Megumi-chan! Are you taking a walk?" she shouted in question from a distance.

Kaori looked at the house from a distance.

"I heard the people finally moved in that house. They have a daughter, according to what they said" Kaori said.

"A...daughter" Megumi said with reluctance.

"Yes. It's a family of three living in there. It's a married couple with a daughter younger than us" Kaori explained.

Megumi's daydreams were broken. She felt displeased to hear what Kaori said.

"What did they look like?" Megumi asked.

"The villagers were gossiping about them. I didn't want to know since they sounded strange" Kaori said.

"You didn't want to know about them?" Megumi asked with surprise.

"No, and you?" Kaori asked.

"I wanted to know, and why do you call them strange?" Megumi questioned with irritation.

Kaori couldn't answer, knowing her answer will agitate her. Megumi walked away from Kaori, who watched at her.

######

Megumi ran up to the hill in anger.

"I hate this village! I hate it!" she shouted with anger.

She walked up the hill to Kanemasa, intending to greet the newcomers in the village. Upon approaching the house, a sense of dread came to her.

'What is this feeling...? This doesn't feel right at all... I can sense someone staring at me' Megumi thought.

A pair of black eyes with red irises were staring at her. Megumi fell unconscious with no visible stigmata.

'Who was that...? My body, feels...sleepy' she thought.

The figure was the blue haired man from August 11. The man had a sadistic expression as he carried Megumi inside the European house.

######

That night, Kaori and Akira were at their house. Akira was watching TV with his father, while Kaori was feeding her dog. Her mother came to her.

"Kaori, have you seen Megumi today?" her mother asked.

"I've seen her today when I was walking Love. What happened" Kaori asked.

"Megumi's mother was on the phone. She said Megumi hasn't come home yet" Kaori's mother said.

"What? Megumi's gone missing?" Akira asked in surprise.

"You idiot... I'm sure she's running late today" Kaori said.

"It's 9 in the evening. She wouldn't normally go out this late" Akira said.

Kaori began to think carefully. She recalled seeing Megumi heading to the hill.

"Kaa-san! I recall seeing Megumi going up to that hill to Kanemasa! It's possible she may be up there" Kaori said.

In a different part of Sotoba, there was the Ookawa Liquor Store. The people who run the store was a man named Tomio Ookawa. He was an intimidating looking man with a strong physique. He received a phone call from the friends of Megumi's parents.

"What!? Shimizu's daughter went to Kanemasa and is now missing!? Atsushi, we're heading out!" Tomio said.

A man with a weaker physique showed up. He had black hair which appeared to be a buzz cut hairstyle.

"The Shimizus from Shimo-Sotoba? This should be left to the fire brigade to handle this case" he said nonchalantly.

Tomio punched Atsushi for his commentary. Needless to say, he was angry for his son.

"Go start climbing the mountains" Tomio shouted to his son.

######

At Jin's place, his father, Homuro Sora, and mother, Hikari Sora were relaxing in the guest room. They suddenly heard their phone ring.

"I'll get it" Jin said.

Jin picked up the phone to answer.

"Good evening, this is the Sora residence" Jin said respectfully.

"Hello? This is Shimizu Hiroko. Is that you, Jin-san?" Hiroko said.

"Megumi's Kaa-san? Yes, this is Jin speaking. What's happening?" Jin asked in concern.

"My daughter hasn't come back since this afternoon. We believe she's at Kanemasa. Can you help us search for our daughter?" Hiroko asked.

"I'll help. Let me ask my father to provide some help" Jin said.

Jin ran back to his father with a concerned look.

"Otou-san, Shimizu-chan called just now. She'll explain to you what she told me" he said, handing the phone to his father.

"Hello, this is Sora Homuro speaking" Homuro said.

"Hello, this is Shimizu Hiroko. We need your help" she said.

Hiroko explained what happened. Immediately, Homuro stood up, getting his clothes on.

"Jin, we're heading out to search for Megumi. Hikari, take care of the house while we are gone. A villager has gone missing" Homuro said.

"Be careful out there, Anata. The wild dogs will be out there" Hikari said.

######

At Natsuno's place, his father received a call from the Shimizus.

"Natsuno, Azusa. Take care of the house while I'm gone. A search party is at Kanemasa, searching for someone" Yuuki said.

"Who has gone missing?" Natsuno asked curiously.

"It's Shimizu Megumi. She hasn't come back to her house since this afternoon" Yuuki said.

Natsuno quickly left to his room and looked out of his window. He didn't see or feel Megumi's presence at all.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

The villagers were searching around Kanemasa. Jin and his father looked around the forest.

"Megumi-chan, where are you?" Tomio called out.

"Megumi-chan, please call out" Jin said.

The search almost appeared fruitless. Everyone searched around the hill for Megumi, but were unable to find her.

'Where is she? I hope nothing happened to her' Jin thought in concern.

It was midnight, August 12. The search party continued to look around. Jin looked carefully around the forest.

"It looks like it'll take a while to find her" a male villager commented.

"I hope we find her before the dogs do" another male villager commented.

Jin looked carefully around him. He eventually saw Megumi, who was lying on the ground.

"EVERYONE! I FOUND MEGUMI!" Jin shouted.

The search party raced their way to where Jin called out. They found Megumi, who appeared weak.

"Good job finding her, Jin. Is she ok?" Tomio asked.

Jin went and placed a palm on her forehead. There was no changes in her body temperature. He then checked her pulse, comparing to his own.

"She has a weak pulse but it is fast... She appears to be lethargic" Jin deduced.

The villagers helped carry Megumi back to her home. Megumi had an emotionless look, not bothering to respond.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

######

The sun rose from the horizon. It was a quiet, but cloudy Friday on August 12. Back at Megumi's place, Toshio and Jin were with Megumi's room. Jin came by to see how she was doing out of concern.

"It's just as you said, Jin. She has lethargy and a weak but fast pulse. Her blood pressure is rather low though. I did took notice of insect bites on her. Other than that, she'll be fine.

"Thank you, Toshio-sensei" Jin said.

Toshio smiled, seeing Jin having potential as a doctor. Megumi's father and mother came up to speak with Toshio.

"How's she doing, Doctor" Hiroko asked.

"She has several insect bites, but other than that, she's lethargic. I suspect that whatever bit her may have caused her lethargy. Is there anything we need to make note of?" Toshio asked.

"She hasn't been eating anything ever since Jin found her. She was just laying on her bed all this time. Hence why we called you" Hiroko explained.

"I see. Takeo-san, be sure to provide a little food for her so she can recover from her lethargy" Toshio said.

"I will. I just hope she recovers" Takeo said.

Toshio took one last look at Megumi.

"What's wrong Megumi? You don't feel hungry?" he asked in a calm tone.

Megumi just shifted in her bed to look at the doctor and Jin. She looked too exhausted to answer. Her skin was slowly turning pale.

"I just feel...so sleepy" she said in a somnolent state.

Jin took a careful look at her, inspecting for any causes.

"She appears to have a form of anemia... Judging by how fast her pulse was, she must've had a great deal of blood loss" Jin deduced.

"Even so, even a swarm of mosquitoes wouldn't feed that much blood from a human... Could the case be attributed to leeches?" Toshio asked.

"Not likely. When we found Megumi, she was lying on dry land. Chances of finding a leech are null from that area" Jin said.

"In any case, I'll need to acquire a blood sample to do a blood test. This is to make sure she doesn't have any pathogens affecting her" Toshio said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

Jin was walking to his school. He felt uncomfortable of seeing Megumi in such a state.

'What could've happened that caused her to be in that state? The largest Japanese bloodsucking leech would leave her in that state. However, they're not endemic out here in Sotoba. This is strange... Plus, that smell of perfume... Megumi almost never wear perfume, especially one that's old fashioned' Jin thought.

Natsuno saw Jin looking preoccupied. He decided to talk with him.

"Hey. What are you thinking about?" Natsuno asked.

"Oh, hey Natsuno. I was thinking about what happened to Megumi... She has appears to have some kind of anemia" Jin explained.

"At least she'll be bed-ridden for a few days. I can hardly deal with her stalking" Natsuno said coldly.

"Speaking of stalking, I had that experience about 10 days ago. It wasn't Megumi that was following me though" Jin said.

"You have another stalker following you? That doesn't sound good" Natsuno said.

"Tell me about it. This one was freaky, almost as though it kept following me wherever I went... I'm not leaving out in the late night to encounter something that creepy" Jin said.

"Calm down, Jin. I'm sure it was a-"

Natsuno was interrupted when Jin looked back at him.

"It wasn't wild dogs. It sounded like footsteps from a human, only stronger. The strange thing is, it didn't feel remotely human. It just felt... weird" he said.

"Have you told this to everyone?" Natsuno asked.

"Not yet. When I went back home about 3 days ago, the stalker wasn't around me. How am I supposed to explain to anyone that I had a stalker that was about to attack me? Not to mention it felt unreal" Jin asked with a retort.

"Good point in that... In any case, let's be careful when heading out in the night. If you're planning to come over and study, you may have to stay over my place" Natsuno said.

"I'll let my parents know about staying over. Try to stay safe, Natsuno" Jin said.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

######

It was Saturday, August 13. The sun was setting in the horizon. Jin was walking across the village. He was at the lumber shop, thinking of the events that occurred.

'The stalker that gave this weird vibe to me...and Megumi's sudden anemia... Something doesn't add up here' Jin thought.

While walking, he noticed a worker talking with a woman.

'That's Ootsuka Yasuyuki... Who is that person talking with him' Jin thought in question.

"We use the momi fir trees from the mountains to build the coffins and grave markers for the village. It's been our village's specialty for ages" Yasuyuki said to the woman with a bashful tone.

'That hair... That's the same presence that stalked me 11 days ago. Who is she' Jin thought.

Jin's presence was almost compromised when Love, Kaori's dog, suddenly ran. Yasuyuki and the woman noticed her.

"Oh hey, Kaori-chan. Walking Love at this time" Yasuyuki asked.

"Yes. He was feeling excited today so I had to walk him outside" Kaori said.

"I see. Anyway, this is Kirishiki oku-san. They're the same people who moved in Kanemasa. This woman's name is Chizuru" Yasuyuki said.

Kaori had a look at the woman. She was amazed on the woman's beauty. Unknown to everyone present, Jin heard the conversation.

'So her name is Kirishiki Chizuru. That was the same woman who must've stalked me around Sotoba. Strange thing is, she has the same smell of perfume that I picked up from Megumi... Is she the one who met her' Jin thought.

Jin left the lumber shop and went to Nastuno's place to study and stay for the night.

######

Kaori went to Megumi's place to talk with her.

"Megumi-chan" Kaori said in concern.

Megumi's skin looked paler than usual. Her skin was starting to look emaciated in appearance. Kaori began to explain what she saw.

"I almost forgot... Megumi, I was completely surprised...! I met the woman of that European-style house this evening! She's beautiful, almost like an actress" Kaori said with excitement.

Megumi opened her eyes to her friend. She then remembered seeing a shadow of Chizuru greeting her before biting her. She then closed her eyes with sleep.

######

The day was August 15, a Monday. Megumi passed away from blood loss. Jin and Toshio were at Megumi's room. Hiroko was crying while Takeo looked angry. Toshio felt disappointed while Jin mourned.

"Why did Megumi die...? Can people die from anemia only?" Takeo asked with sorrow.

"It depends on the severity of the anemia... She was healthy a few days ago...! She shouldn't die from this form of anemia this quickly" Jin explained.

"What do you mean?" Takeo asked reluctantly.

"I know she doesn't have sickle cell anemia. Her form is caused from blood loss. The victim can recover from this anemia within a short period of rest. However, she appeared to be getting worse as time went by. Subsequent blood loss would cause the victim to force their heart rate to increase. Although she had no external injuries or internal bleeding, something has been sucking her dry. This caused a heart attack" Jin said.

Jin pounded his hand on the floor, surprising everyone. He looked angry at himself.

"Damn it! Why didn't the lab bring the results from Megumi yet!? It isn't worth the wait now" Jin shouted angrily.

"Calm down Jin! I'm also shocked from this case. We ruled it was simple anemia... It turns out we were both wrong... There has to be an unknown factor that made her anemia worse" Toshio said.

"Are you suggesting...?"

Jin was reluctant to hear what Toshio was going to say. He knows that Takeo will angrily refuse an autopsy.

"I wish to conduct a pathological autopsy to find the cause of death" Toshio said.

Takeo pounded his left hand on the wall in anger.

"We're not doing that!" Takeo said in anger.

"Anata" Hiriko said.

Takeo couldn't hold his grief. He was shedding tears for his daughter's death.

"If you want to alleviate your sorrow and rage, you can hit me... I understand how you feel" Toshio said with a melancholy tone.

"Forgive me... But I can't allow an autopsy on my daughter. She's a young girl... Please leave us alone" Takeo said in sadness.

Toshio began to think carefully.

'Jin's right... When the victim's blood loss goes beyond their threshold, the heart will attempt to stress itself to pump more blood throughout the body. The likely cause of death is heart failure. Megumi may have died around 2 AM' Toshio thought.

Jin left the house in grief. He felt awful, despite his efforts to assist Toshio.

######

It was a foggy Tuesday, August 16. Jin was walking to the Chigusa restaurant. He still felt depressed on what happened.

"Oh, Jin-kun. How are you doing?" Motoko asked.

Jin looked at Motoko with a depressed face. She gasped upon seeing him with such an empty look.

"One of the people I knew died... Toshio and I tried to do what we can to help, but she died" Jin said with sorrow.

Motoko went to Jin and comforted him from his sorrow.

"It's ok, Jin-kun... Everyone has their losses that are painful. I hope the losses don't occur too much" Mokoto said.

Little did she knew, the losses were starting to increase.

######

Back in Natsuno's home, Natsuno woke up. He was staring at the open window, feeling uncomfortable. He stared outside at the nearby forest.

'Although I heard she died from Jin, why do I have the sudden urge to close my window' Natsuno thought.

Natsuno got up, brushed his teeth and got dressed. He was heading outside for a walk.

"Natsuno, where are you heading to?" his mother asked.

"I'm heading out for a walk" he replied.

"Make sure you come back home. The funeral the Shimizus are holding will start at noon" Azusa said.

"I know. I'll be there" Natsuno said.

######

Seishin was riding in a black car with two carpenters. He was thinking of the village.

'This place is surrounded by mountains with momi fir trees on three sides. There's a mountain stream that the woods confine in a triangular shape, similar to a harpoon's tip. The momi fir trees are used to build the coffins and grave markers. Sotoba, a village with a population of 1300, is where the trees used for the dead, cutting it off from the outside world. This village is a place surrounded by death' he thought.

The black car was parked at the funeral. Several propaganda for Megumi was created from her classmates, offering their condolences.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Natsuno was walking outside till he noticed Jin looking out at the south horizon. He looked gloomy, wearing his funeral tuxedo.

"Jin, are you alright?" Natsuno asked.

"Just depressed... I know you don't like her, but every life is worth protecting. I don't like the feeling of losing people whom we knew" Jin said.

Unknown to the boys, a dog was running towards them. They heard a girl scream. The boys turned only to be tackled from a black blur.

"Geez, Taro! I told you to stop" a young woman said.

The dog was licking Jin on his face l, waggling its tail. It went to Natsuno and licked his face. Both boys were surprised from the dog. By then, the woman who shouted to the dog appeared. She had a blue green hair color that was flowing freely down at her waist. Her eyes matched her hair color. She was wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt, pink pants and brown shoes.

"I'm sorry about that, Natsuno, Jin... I recently switched to a bigger collar for my dog. Because of this, he tends to slip out of it rather easily" the woman said.

"It's nothing to worry about, Kunihiro Ritsuko. It's all water under the bridge" Jin said, wiping his face with a napkin.

"You're getting better at knowing everyone, Jin" Ritsuko said.

"Thanks for the compliment" Jin said, looking away with a blush.

She then looked at Natsuno.

"Are your legs feeling better, Natsuno? I recall about the growing pains you mentioned to me" Ritsuko said.

"Please stop using my given name and use my surname, 'Koide'" Natsuno said.

"Oh. You don't like your name? It's a good refreshing name. Did your mother name you?" Ritsuko asked curiously.

Jin knew what she was asking and quickly answered in place of Natsuno.

"He was named by his father. It was believed to be the name of one of the old nobles. Please don't ask him about it. It's still a sensitive subject for him" Jin answered.

Natsuno calmed down, thanks to Jin's intervention.

'I owe you one for providing that quick save, Jin' Natsuno thought comically.

Ritsuko decided to talk about their opinion of the village.

"I understand you two were from the city. It's true this village is in the middle of nowhere" Ritsuko said.

"Um... That's not what we had in mind" Jin said with a sweat drop.

"It's ok" Ritsuko said with a giggle.

######

Natsuno, Jin, and Ritsuko were at a small, grocery store. The owners took notice of Ritsuko.

"Oh, Ritsuko-chan. Good morning" an elder woman said.

"Good morning to you" Ritsuko replied.

The elders looked at Jin and Natsuno with slight disdain.

"I wonder if kids from the city won't get used to life here" an elder woman gossiped.

"Is he dating her?" an elder man asked.

"No, they're not dating. She's currently dating Mutou's son" another elder woman said.

Jin heard the conversation and casted a brief angered look.

"Oi... Don't start gossiping about others when the main topics are nearby" Jin said.

The elders chose to be quiet, lest they wanted to provoke them. Jin and Natsuno felt tired of the occasional gossip.

"Sometimes I don't like it... The people who gossip about others, even when the person is nearby... It's disrespectful" Jin said.

"Feelings mutual on my part, Jin" Natsuno said coldly.

Ritsuko giggled from Jin's opinion of the people. Sometimes they were positive, sometimes they were negative.

"This is the countryside after all. Rumors spread rapidly here" Ritsuko said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

Kaori was at Megumi's room at the Shimizu's house. She felt depressed, going inside the room. Kaori noticed a postcard hidden on Megumi's desk. She took it out and read it.

"Two end of summer greeting cards" she said.

She looked around the card and noticed Megumi's writing. It moved her to tears.

'She must've been rewriting it several times' Kaori thought.

"Megumi-chan" she said as she collapsed to her knees, crying.

######

Jin, Natsuno, and Ritsuko were sitting down a bench. They ordered a canned drink from a nearby vending machine.

"Don't you think of leaving this village? There's a nationwide demand for nurses. You'll be hired in no time in the city" Natsuno said.

"You're right about that. But I can't just suddenly leave this village... My mother and sister live here with me. I wonder what my sister would do though. She doesn't want to leave the village either.

######

The funeral from the Shimizus started. The classmates of Megumi, and everyone whom knew her arrived. Jin and Natsuno stated impassively while everyone prayed to Megumi for a peaceful afterlife. Seishin eventually hit the funeral bell twice, alerting everyone to finish praying.

Outside, Kaori was holding on to the postcards. She was looking around, trying to find Natsuno and Jin. She saw them leaving the funeral and rushed to them. The boys noticed Kaori heading towards them.

"They came to the funeral" Kaori muttered.

"Megumi-chan! He came to see you" Kaori said with tears.

The boys were confused at first of what Kaori was doing.

"Thank you for coming to her funeral" she said.

The boys tilted their head in confusion.

"My name is Tanaka Kaori, a childhood friend of Shimizu Megumi. You're Yuuki Natsuno and Sora Jin right" she asked.

"Yes. What is it that you came to us for?" Jin asked.

"Um... Could you two keep these postcards as a keepsake of Megumi" Kaori asked.

Jin and Natsuno were quiet. Natsuno decided to answer.

"We were never really close to Shimizu or anything. We can't accept those postcards. It's hot outside, so we'll be heading home" Natsuno said coldly.

Both boys left the funeral area. They didn't want to stay any longer not because of the heat, but from their increasing depression.

"Wait, Megumi-chan's coffin will be carried out soon" Kaori said.

"We don't have much obligations to attend her burial. I tried helping her with Toshio's help, but we failed" Jin said with guilt.

Kaori felt terrible. She walked with the people while Megumi's coffin was being carried. She heard the villagers commenting about her.

"The Shimizus... I feel bad for them" a male said.

"I know... Why on earth did this happen so suddenly, especially to one so young?" another male asked.

"One of my relatives lost her child long ago, too" an elder male said.

"I guess death is prevalent among the young. I wonder what happened while she was missing" a woman said.

"She was a fickle child to begin with. Could it be?" another female said.

The gossiping gnawed on Kaori's sanity. She slowly realized Megumi is dead, making her feel sadder than before. What's worse is the villagers didn't show any ounce of mourning. She began to feel afraid of dying.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

The burial was starting. Kaori came to Megumi's parents with a small gift.

"Oba-san, Oji-san... Megumi's birthday was coming up. I brought her a present... Do you think...she would like it if I gave it to her" Kaori said.

Kaori's mother came to her.

"Kaori! The Shimizus are dealing with a lot of stuff" her mother said.

"I think it's a good thought" Seishin said, getting everyone's attention.

"I believe you're her friend. Go ahead and put it in with her coffin. I'm certain she'll be happy in her new life" Seishin said with a calm smile.

Kaori smiled and placed the gift on top of Megumi's coffin. The burial started, covering the coffin with soil.

######

It was nighttime in Sotoba. Back in Natsuno's house, Natsuno and Jin were studying together. They both replayed what they heard from Kaori in their minds. Jin was the first to lose focus.

"Geez... Why am I starting to think of her...? It was a one-sided crush that she had for us" Jin said.

"I know. She was like a lost pup, to being with. Shimizu hoped we would respond to her feelings. It was tiring enough that we were being stalked by her" Natsuno said with disinterest.

"I agree. The villagers were like that with us" Jin said in agreement.

"They've been selfishly assigning roles to others, wanting them to do what they want" Natsuno said with pessimism.

By then, the boys noticed an image of Megumi, looking at them. Both shook their heads to get their mentality at check.

"I think it's due to lack of sleep that we saw her" Jin said.

"Maybe. Anyway, let's continue. We're almost done. I'll let you sleep over today" Natsuno said.

"Thanks, I'll make sure to call my parents to let them know" Jin said.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

######

The day was Wednesday, August 17. Jin was walking to the clinic. He heard from Toshio that the blood results were coming in.

'Hopefully, the results show something odd. This has been rather bizarre on Megumi's case' Jin thought.

Jin walked inside to see Toshio.

"Toshio-sensei, the results should be here by now" Jin said.

"Yeah. Mutou should provide them right now. He may be the chief medical administration of the Okazaki clinic, but he likes to keep things arranged" Toshio said.

The man in question arrived with a packet.

"Toshio, the blood test from Shimizu Megumi are in" Mutou said.

"Oh. Good timing too. Jin decided to pay a visit to help us" Toshio said.

Mutou looked at Jin with some surprise. He decided to voice his opinion.

"I understand that he wants to become a doctor to help people, but why are we relying on his help" Mutou asked.

"Jin has been studying extensively on medicine and diagnostics. Because of this, he's a prodigy on the medical field. He can easily find any signs or symptoms of the body" Toshio said.

Toshio began reading the papers carefully. Ritsuko asked Toshio on the diagnosis.

"Toshio-sensei, was your diagnosis on anemia correct?" Ritsuko asked.

"It's partially correct. It's not a form of iron deficiency nor it has any pre-existing conditions" Toshio answered.

Jin looked at the charts and read them carefully. He then placed the papers down.

"Typically among females, no offense Kunihiro-san, suffer from iron deficiency anemia. It's a common condition among young females. It was thought to be microcytic-hypochromic anemia. However, in Megumi's case, it's not. Although it is a rough calculation, her red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value only showed an increase of the reticulocyte count. It's a form of normocytic-normochromic anemia. In other words, she lost a significant amount of blood" Jin deduced.

Everyone was surprised of Jin's reasoning skills and knowledge with medical information. Toshio stepped outside to smoke a cigarette.

"Don't start smoking too much, Toshio-sensei. You're the reason why Sotoba had healthy people so don't provide a bad example to aspiring medical students" Jin said.

Toshio comically took a breath and crushed his cigarette.

"Sorry about that. Anyway, Jin's right. Normocytic-normochromic anemia is caused by bleeding, either external or internal, destruction of red blood cells, hypoplastic anemia, and secondary anemia. The problem is, Megumi had no visible injuries on her skin, nor showed signs of internal bleeding. Somehow, her body stopped functioning, signaling she may have a serious problem. We don't know the cause of it. Plus, an autopsy was refused from her parents, preventing us from having a clearer picture" Toshio explained.

"It's exactly what he said. The only external marks we've seen are insect bite marks. There were no leeches around her since she was on dry land" Jin said.

Mutou and Ritsuko were surprised of Jin's intelligence. They now had newfound respect for his careful search. By then, a nurse came in. She looked as though she was rushing. She appeared to be in her middle ages with black hair and steel gray eyes.

"Hmm? Hashiguchi Yasuyo, what seems to be the problem?" Toshio asked.

"Toshio, I received a call from the family of Giichi, who owns the Maruyasu Lumber. They think Giichi died" Yasuyo said.

"What...!? I heard he was doing ok! He didn't had any conditions, despite his age!" Jin said.

"Calm down, Jin. We'll find the answers. But first, let me check to see Giichi" Toshio said.

'I may have to talk with that woman, Chizuru. She might know what happened to Giichi.

######

It was August 22, Sunday. The day was sunny, but not as bright. Jin was walking outside the village, pondering the sudden cases. He noticed Tae Yano, knocking on the door to the Gotouda household.

"Yano-baachan... What's wrong?" Jin asked respectfully.

"Oh, good morning Jin. I'm trying to call my friend, Fuki-san. She's not answering at all" Tae said.

"Gotouda Fuki, huh? Hang on. I'll have a look to see if she's ok" Jin said.

Jin moved around the house and went to the backyard. He noticed the door was strangely open. This made him tread carefully, expecting anything.

'This is weird and creepy... Who would want to leave their open like that?' Jin questioned in thought.

A pungent stench reached in his nose, forcing him to cover it.

What the...? This place stinks of... Oh no' Jin thought.

He ran to the bedroom to notice Fuki lying in her futon, dead. Immediately, he exited the house. Tae noticed his panicked expression.

"Yano-baachan! Quick, we need to call Toshio immediately! Fuki's body has no pulse" Jin said frantically.

Tae rushed inside and called the Ozaki clinic. Toshio came by hours later to pick up the body.

######

Toshio and Ritsuko were thinking about Giichi's sudden death. Toshio was looking at Giichi Yasumori's medical file.

"Is it possible that Giichi died from acute kidney failure?" Ritsuko asked.

"It's possible. However, he didn't have any problems with his kidneys. He died from blood loss it seems. It's also a likelihood that he didn't handle the heat from this summer" Toshio deduced.

Another nurse was with Toshio.

"Come to think of it, the number of cases make it seem as though a summer cold is going around" the nurse said.

"That's where you're wrong, Isaki Satoko" Jin said.

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

"Jin, Tae. Why are you two here?" Satoko asked.

"Based on the cases of dead people occurring, it doesn't surprise me that an epidemic is apparent. The young and the elderly are stricken with the same symptoms: lethargy, pale skin, refusal to eat sustenance" Jin said in a calm tone.

"Now that I recall, there was something the deceased Gigorou and Hidemass in Yamairi mentioned. They mentioned it was a summer cold breaking out there. It was about a week before Mieki-baachan passed away. She told me this when she came here to pick up her high blood pressure medicine. She also mentioned they were in a daze, but she appeared perfectly fine" Mutoi explained.

"I see. Anyway, why are you here with Tae-baachan Jin" Toshio questioned.

Tae moved forward with a sad face.

"Fuki-san looked fatigued since Thursday. I was concerned for her since she lost her son, brother and daughter-in-law. She was unresponsive after their funerals. She was very tired and appeared to be in a daze. Yesterday, when I was about to call you, she immediately roses and told us not to call the clinic" Tae said with tears.

Jin hugged the old woman to calm her down. Toshio began to think carefully. He juxtaposition the cases of the people in Yamairi with Megumi's and Fuki's.

"Did she display any symptoms that were different, like say coughing?" Toshio asked.

"No, she didn't have any other symptoms" Tae answered.

(Fir Trees OST ends here)

######

Toshio was by himself with Jin, thinking of the cases. He decided to call the town councilman.

"Hey, Ishida-san" Toshio said.

"Yes?" Ishida said.

"I have a favor to ask. I'd like to know how many people died in Sotoba this August" Toshio said.

"Hmm? What on earth is the matter?" Ishida questioned.

"I'm just concerned about something" Toshio said.

"Alright... I'll deliver a copy of the records to you via email. Please say your email address so I can send it to you" Ishida said.

"Thank you" Toshio said as the phone hanged up.

"Jin, why don't you head outside with your friends? I'm sure they could use the company" Toshio said.

######

Jin was walking outside. He was heading to meet with Seishin to talk of the occurrences in the village. He walked his way up the temple grounds, only to hear someone call for him.

"Muroi-san, there's something wrong going on in this village. I don't know what's happening, but I need your guidance" Jin said.

"Calm down Jin. I'll talk with you but Tadikoro Mitsuo called me for something" Seishin said.

"Young Monk, the village caretaker called, mentioning that Gotouda Fuki-san has died from illness" Mitsuo said.

By then, two monks came by. Jin recognized them.

"Tsurumi, Ikebe" Jin said to them.

"Pleasure to see you, Jin. We'll let you know that Seishin will talk with you" Tsurumi said.

Ikebe turned to Tsurumi and murmured to him.

"Death has struck many times this summer... I fear that it'll continue to occur and we don't know what the cause is" Ikebe said to Tsurumi.

"This kind of occurrence was what happened to people who died from accidents on the shore or from illnesses. It's almost like what happened 20 years ago" Tsurumi said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

It was Monday, August 22 on midnight. Natsuno and Jin were studying quietly. Both didn't talk to each other, preferring to focus on their academics. While writing, Natsuno's mechanical pencil broke its lead stick. He tried to push more out.

"Great... I'll have to replace more lead sticks" he muttered.

By then, the bushes were rustling. Both boys looked outside and noticed them moving. This made them feel dreadful of their surroundings. They could feel someone watching them.

"Natsuno... I don't think Megumi should be alive, yet why are the bushes making noises? Especially at the same spot where Megumi hides at" Jin questioned quietly, fear laced in his voice.

"Don't ask me... I don't like this feeling at all" Natsuno said with slight fear.

Jin quickly closed the window. Both boys stared at the closed window for a few seconds before resuming their studying.

'Megumi's dead... Why are we hallucinating of her right now...? This is very strange' Jin thought.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

Seishin arrived at the clinic, holding his records for the number of people that died. Toshio was waiting outside, smoking a cigarette.

"Sorry to interrupt your break time, Toshio, but I need to talk with you" Seishin said.

"It's ok. What is it that you want to talk about?" Toshio asked.

"About four elderly people died last summer" Seishin commented with a mournful tone.

"You sure know your stuff" Toshio commented.

"I'm a monk, Toshio, so..."

Seishin didn't finish his sentence, noting Toshio's fatigue.

"Let me continue... This year, Shuuji-san, the three elders in Yamairi, Megumi-chan, Giichi-san, and Fuki-san... About seven people died this year. Moreover, Shuuji-san was 39 years old, and Megumi-chan was 15 years old. The young are susceptible to the strange anemia. What is the cause to Fuki-san's death?" Seishin asked.

"I suspected it was acute kidney failure, but Jin proved me wrong" Toshio said.

"Any ideas what's the precise cause of death?" Seishin asked.

"Currently, we don't know what's causing it" Toshio answered.

"What about Shuuji-san?" the monk asked.

"I'm afraid all of them. We don't know the exact cause of death" Toshio answered with disdain.

"Isn't this...a sign of an epidemic?" Seishin asked with reluctance.

Toshio remained quiet, unable to answer anything.

######

Jin was back in his place. It was a cloudy Tuesday on August 23. Jin still felt an uncomfortable feeling lurking around him. Almost as though he could sense someone watching him.

'I don't like this sensation at all... Who or what is watching me like I'm something other than prey' Jin thought.

He stopped reading a science book and looked outside his window. He knew someone was near, but he couldn't tell who.

######

It was a rainy evening on Wednesday, August 24. No one went outside for the torrential rain, except Jin. He was walking to a meeting place to where Toshio, Seishin, and Ishida were heading to.

"Sorry for bringing you all here" Toshio apologized.

"It's ok, a little rain can't hurt anybody" Jin said.

"I'm also ok. I had to come over to the meeting" Ishida said.

Toshio had a serious expression on his face.

"So, do you have what I asked about earlier?" Toshio asked.

"Yes. There were about ten deaths that occurred up to now" Ishida said, providing the papers.

He began explaining the deaths in order.

"The first three were in Yamairi. On August 1st, Ookawa Gigorou and Murasako Hidemasa died. August 5th, Murasako Meiko died. August 6th, Gotouda Shuuji was dead. August 11, Hirosawa Takatoshi was dead. August 15, Shimizu Megumi died suddenly. August 17, Yasumori's Giichi passed away. August 18, Ootsuka Yasuyuki died" Ishida said.

'Yasuyuki-san was talking with that woman named Kirishiki Chizuru... She may have been a plot of his sudden death... Damn it... I couldn't help these people' Jin thought with disdain.

Everyone noticed Jin looking anxious.

"Everything ok, Jin?" Toshio asked.

"I recalled seeing Yasuyuki-san talking with Kirishiki Chizuru. It was about four days before his death. He was talking about the use of the momi fir trees to her" Jin said.

"I see. We'll keep that mind. Ishida, please continue with the rest" Toshio said.

"Where was I? Oh yes... August 21, Jin found Gotouda Fuki dead. August 23, Shimizu Ryuuji died" Ishida finished.

"There were some that I wasn't aware of" Toshio said.

"The people whom you weren't aware of died at the government hospital in the neighboring town of Mizobe. So... Whatever the circumstances, having this many victims die in short time intervals is rather unusual. Is there something happening to this village?" Ishida asked.

Seishin and Toshio looked at each other briefly while Jin looked at them. Toshio decided to answer.

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

"There are several possibilities. Right now, we're assuming an epidemic is occurring in Sotoba" Toshio said.

"A-an epidemic" Ishida exclaimed.

"We're only assuming the worst case scenario, Ishida-san" Jin said.

"What's the illness causing the epidemic?" Ishida asked.

"We don't know what it is. However, the symptoms were all the same. It has a tendency to manifest in a different way" Toshio said.

"What do you mean?" Ishida asked.

Jin began explaining to him.

"From Megumi's case or for any young victims, the symptoms were closely related to anemia. For the elders, they appeared to look fatigued as though they were afflicted from a summer cold or exhausted from the heat. It starts with minor symptoms that gradually get worse in a manner of days" Jin explained.

"Now that I think about it, Nao-san of Yasumori's Construction came to see me yesterday. She looked heavily fatigued and her skin was paling. She had the same case that Megumi was dealing with. I examined her thoroughly so I didn't miss anything unusual. However, her vital signs were normal. I also asked her to come to my clinic if her symptoms got worse" Toshio explained.

"Could it be that the infection from Giichi-san of the Yasumoris' head family had spread to her? If an epidemic is starting to happen, then it would be the case" Seishin said.

"How terrible! Not to mention outrageous" Ishida said, cowering.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

"At the moment, we don't have much information of the illness. We need more to know what we're dealing with. We can't just make a fuss about it before we know if it truly is an epidemic" Toshio said.

"I'll go have a word with the surviving families casually. With luck, we might find a pattern or path of the infection" Seishin said.

"T-then, I'll post some flyers that'll tell people to see a doctor if they display anemic or summer cold symptoms. I'll also let you know if death certificates were signed by someone other than you come in to the office" Ishida said with a stutter.

"In the meantime, Jin and I will be working to identify the causes of the recent deaths. We'll find out what's the cause that's killing the villagers. I'm not going to let this epidemic slide past us and take any more innocent lives" Toshio said with determination.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau De Vie)

Toshio looked at Jin. He was confident with his hell.

"Jin, head back home and tell your parents that you'll be assisting Toshio on my work. Your knowledge on medical conditions and deductions are what we need from you" Toshio said.

"I will. Ishida-san, mind if you take me back to my home with your motorbike" Jin asked.

"Sure. I'll take you back home" Ishida said.

Jin held onto Ishida as he went to the village in the storm. He finally arrived at his place.

"Thanks for the ride, Ishida-san" Jin said.

"No problem" Ishida replied.

Jin walked inside his house. He talked with his parents, letting them know that he'll be assisting Toshio.

"Oh? I never knew that my son would be able to help a doctor in his clinic" Homuro said.

"I'm proud of you, Jin. Your future will be bright one day" Hikari said.

"Otou-san, Kaa-san... You're embarrassing me" Jin pouted with a red face.

Jin calmed down and went back to his room. He then felt a presence outside. Jin closed the window quickly.

'Why? Why did I start closing the window?' he questioned on thought.

Upon touching the window sill, he felt someone was staring at him. Coincidentally, Natsuno felt the same feeling from his house.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

It was a rainy night. Natsuno was unable to sleep. He couldn't shake the feeling off he was having.

'Why do I have the feeling that Shimizu is still there?' Natsuno thought.

He continued to stay awake, feeling uncomfortable.

######

At the temple, Seishin was writing his novel.

"The desert was a vast tundra. The layered, meandering sky hung low with sober winds. The sky was concealed in darkness. The world was bifurcated between the earth and the sky. From this barren land, only he and the dark souls roam. 'The cursed exile.' The phrase was repeated with each encounter. Soon the sun shall dwindle and night shall come forth once again. Then, he will reveal his presence in the wasteland. The younger brother he killed in cold blood. Standing over the body, he mourned as he bid farewell to him, never to see his brother. Tonight, his brother was resurrected from his grave" Seishin said, writing the words down.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Thursday on August 25. The summer temperature was starting to cool down. Natsuno and Jin were walking outside, thinking of recent events. They were heading their way to school. While walking, both boys began to speak to each other.

"Natsuno, did you had the feeling last night that someone was watching you?" Jin asked.

"I had that same feeling... It seems we have something watching us" Natsuno said.

"I would say two people. I suspect someone else is getting their attention on me" Jin said.

"I have a feeling you're right. Sure is hot out, despite the rain yesterday" Natsuno said.

While they walked, they heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Natsuno, Jin" a male voice said.

A gray car pulled up to them. From the driver's seat, a blonde haired youth was driving. He had blonde hair that was the same hairstyle as Natsuno's. His eyes were a yellow color, which hold a cheerful aura.

"It's Mutou Tohru. Hey man" Jin said in a pleasant tone.

"Hey Jin. What are you guys doing with your school uniforms?" Tohru asked.

"We were on our way to school" Jin answered.

"Hold up... You already got your license, Tohru-chan?" Natsuno asked in surprise.

"Not yet. I'm still using a permit. Rit-chan is providing some driver's ed so I can take the driver's test for the license" Tohru said, pointing to Ritsuko who was sitting on the passenger's side.

She noticed the boys and greeted them.

"Pleased to meet you" Jin and Natsuno said.

"It's a bit hot out to walk in the sunlight, you two. Why not jump in so you two can cool off?" Tohru said.

"We might as well do so. This heat almost tired us out" Jin said.

"I'm in as well" Natsuno said.

######

Inside the car, Natsuno explained the reason why he and Jin were walking.

"We were waiting about an hour for the bus to arrive. We couldn't take the heat from the sun, so we decided to walk to the next stop. That's when you drove by to us" Natsuno explained.

Tohru chuckled from hearing their predicament.

"It was great timing that I drove by" Tohru said.

"Isn't Mizobe town a three hour walk from Sotoba?" Ritsuko asked in surprise.

"It is... We would've taken a train, but it's either the bus or nothing" Natsuno said with exhaustion.

Natsuno was leaning on the right side of the car. Jin also looked exhausted, falling asleep in the left side of the car.

"What's wrong you two? You two couldn't sleep well" Tohru asked.

"You could say that... We've had some trouble sleeping last night" Jin said with fatigue.

Jin and Natsuno remembered the feeling of being watched. It felt supernatural to them. This woke them from their brief sleep episode.

"I was busy thinking of a way to leave Sotoba" Natsuno said.

"I had to help the doctor provide some answers for the mysterious deaths in Sotoba" Jin said.

Tohru began to speak to the boys. He kept an eye out on the road while talking. Ritsuko looked at them in concern.

"Natsuno, didn't your parents moved here because they wanted to get away from everything there? Talking like that will crush their spirits" Tohru said.

Ritsuko began to talk with Jin.

"It's a difficult path you're doing Jin. But I know you'll be able to help find the answers" she said.

She then looked at Tohru, who kept his eyes on the road without distraction.

"You have good driving skills to keep an eye out for the road, Tohru-chan" Ritsuko said with satisfaction.

######

The car was on the way to the school. Two boys were walking on the pathway. Tohru knew who they were.

"Masao! Tamotsu" Tohru called out.

"Aniki! How are you doing?" Tamotsu said to Tohru.

Jin briefly woke up and saw Tohru's brother talking. He was a year younger than Tohru. He had short dark blonde hair with dark, golden eyes. Jin took notice of the person near Tamotsu. He had long brown hair that followed below his shoulders. His eyes were a brown color, but were hard to tell, due to their sanpanku appearance. Both boys were wearing school uniforms.

'That's Mutou Tamotsu. The person near him is Murasako Masao' Jin thought.

"We're heading in for a ride" Tamotsu said.

Masao agreed, only to see Natsuno and Jin. He had a personal hate against Natsuno, yet he was able to accept Jin, because of his sympathetic view of people.

"I think I'll walk on my own" Masao said with reluctance.

"Eh? Are you sure? The car has A/C so we can cool off" Tamotsu asked.

"I'll be fine. You guys go on ahead" Masao said.

"Still, I don't think I should leave you behind" Tamotsu responded.

Tamotsu felt bad for leaving his friend. He decided to leave the car and follow Masao.

"Wait up, Masao" Tamotsu shouted to his friend.

Ritsuko observed Masao's actions from the car.

"What's up with him?" Ritsuko asked.

"Oh, I haven't mentioned this to you. Masao hates Natsuno with a passion... Natsuno also doesn't care about that either" Tohru said.

Natsuno comically slammed his fist on Tohru's head. He made a funny expression when Natsuno hit Tohru in a playful tone.

"What are you doing, Natsuno?" Tohru asked in a fake hurt tone.

"I don't think it's a good idea to bother him right now, especially when he's in a somnolent state" Jin said in a tired tone.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

The driving continued through Sotoba. Natsuno began to voice his thoughts.

"I generally don't want to get close to anyone. However, I can tolerate Jin since he doesn't cause any problems with me" Natsuno said.

Natsuno recalled hearing the villagers gossiping about him. It was a month ago that he heard the gossiping.

"They're not used to strangers moving in. I took my mother's surname than my father's, which made it seem weirder. I'm pretty much tired with the gossiping this village as much as they are tired with me around" Natsuno said.

He then recalled meeting Tohru when his bike had a flat tire, forcing him to walk. Tohru insisted on patching the flat tire for him, much to his chagrin.

"I never wanted to get along with anyone, till I met Jin. He always looked out at the road leading to Mizobe town. It's almost as though he wanted to move out of the village, but was unable to" Natsuno continued.

-Flashback-

Natsuno was walking to the road to notice a male looking out. He was looking towards Sotoba. This made him watch curiously.

"Who is this guy?" Natsuno muttered in question.

The male figure was Sora Jin. His hair was flowing from the wind blowing.

"Hey. You'll catch a sunburn if you stay out here too long" Natsuno said.

"Oh. I was just thinking about heading back to the city one day. I'm not from Sotoba, despite knowing the village" Jin said.

"I didn't know... What's your name?" Natsuno asked curiously.

"My name is Sora Jin. How about you?" Jin asked.

"Koide Natsuno" Natsuno said in introduction.

The boys shook hands, not knowing they would become great friends.

-Flashback ends-

Natsuno's flashback episode was interrupted when the car was pulled at the Ozaki clinic. Ritsuko got off from the car and left to her job as a nurse.

"Take care you guys" Ritsuko said.

Tohru waved at her as she walked away. He then looked at the boys who looked tired.

"Hey Natsuno, Jin. You two are asleep?" Tohru asked.

This resulted in a light tap on his scalp from Jin.

"Does that answer your question?" Jin said comically.

Natsuno almost lost his cool from that moment. He had a hard time suppressing his laughing. Tohru didn't see Natsuno trying to suppress his laughter. By then, Jin's phone began to ring. It was from Toshio, whom needed assistance.

'That's Toshio-sensei... It seems like he needs help' Jin thought.

Jin looked at his phone, showing Toshio's message to him.

-Come over to the clinic. I need your help. I've called the school so they know that you're here for today- the message said.

Jin then got off from the car, surprising, Natsuno and Tohru.

"Where are you going?" Natsuno called out.

"I'm heading out to the clinic. Toshio-sensei said he needs help. You two can go without me" Jin said.

"Alright. Let's head to your school, Natsuno" Tohru said.

Tohru drove out to Natsuno's school. Jin walked inside the clinic, intending to help Toshio.

######

Inside the nurse locker room, Ritsuko was getting her uniform on. She felt confident to continue working.

"All right... Time to start working" Ritsuko said.

######

Toshio received the results of the blood test conducted. It was from a patient named Nao Yasumori. Jin and Ritsuko took notice of the packet that contained the documents. When they met with Toshio, she was surprised to see him.

"Jin!? What are you doing here?" Ritsuko asked in surprise.

"I'm here to help with Toshio-sensei in this case... This one looks severe since he called me in" Jin said.

"You're right about that, Jin" Toshio said.

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

"So, what are the results from the blood test? Are they showing signs of a bad condition?" Jin asked.

"Her test results are rather strange... I may have to examine her again, so could call and ask her to come in for reexamination immediately" Toshio asked.

"Yes sir" Ritsuko said.

Jin looked at the results carefully. He was surprised of what he was reading.

'It's the same thing... The same case as Megumi's anemia... There's an increase in reticulocytes, nucleated erythrocytes as well. The bone marrow, hyperplasia of erythroblast... There's no abnormality in this type of formation... It's possible that hematopoiesis is accelerated due to large amounts of red blood cells being consumed... However, that isn't the case because there's no internal parasite feeding off of her blood or her bone marrow... It's likely the cause was from external means. The only clue is the insect bites that Toshio reported. Other than that, there's no external or internal bleeding... The serum bilirubin and LDH are at normal levels. The Coombs test for hemolysis is negative. This is rather difficult to rule out every possibility. The more I think about it, the more mysterious it sounds... Something doesn't add up... There has to be a factor that's missing in this problem. The only conclusion would've come from external means, judging by those insect bite marks' Jin thought carefully.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

######

It was a cloudy Friday, August 26. Masao was walking outside, holding a packet. He then noticed a male villager who looked lethargic. He moved away from the villager nervously.

'That guy looked real terrible... I hope my father listens' he thought.

Masao made it back to his home, the Murasako Rice Shop. Inside, his father was playing Shogi by himself. Masao was reading a magazine.

"Did you finish your homework for the summer? The new term will start soon" his father asked.

"Oh, you mean the summer homework, I finished it about a month ago" Masao said.

His father looked disinterested at him. This made Masao feel uncomfortable.

"Tou-chan... I noticed a villager looking sick when I was on my way home" Masao said.

"Hmm? Who was the villager?" he asked, paying attention to Masao.

"I couldn't catch a decent image, but I'll let you know how he looked. He has brown hair and appears to be in his thirties" Masao said.

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll phone Toshio about it" Masao's father said.

Masao phoned Toshio for a moment.

"Hello, this is Murasako Munehide. My son, Masao, saw a man looking fatigued" Munehide said.

Munehide provided the information to Toshio. He then hung up the phone.

"Jii-chan, Kaa-san is suggesting we head out for dinner" a younger voice said.

"Oh, Hiromi-kun. I guess we'll be eating out today" Munehide said.

"Yes" Hiromi said

"What do you want to eat? Would you like a hamburger steak or some omurice" Munehide asked, spoiling his grandson.

'I'm not going out with them... My family treats me like I'm air now... There's no point if he starts spoiling Hiromi' Masao thought with jealousy and anger.

"I'm not going out... I'm staying home" Masao said.

"Masao... Are you sure?" Munehide asked.

"I'm fine with it" he replied.

"You're acting like a kid again... Hiromi's going to laugh at you, right" Munehide asked to Hiromi.

"SHUT UP! I've had it with you spoiling my nephew like that" Masao said angrily.

He then stood up, got himself dressed and left the house. Munehide watched as his son moved away from their presence. Hiromi watched with slight fear. While they watched, a woman came by.

"Otou-san, are you ready? What about Masao-kun?" she asked.

"I'm ready, Chizuko. Masao's not coming with us" Munehide answered.

"Oh, he isn't. It can't be helped" she said cheerfully.

Outside, Masao was running with anger in his mind.

'I'd never get along with my parents... They always try to make me like them in their image than knowing my future... I hate this lifestyle' Masao thought.

######

Back in the Ozaki clinic, the man Masao described was being treated.

"Masao-san did the right thing to tell us about this man. I owe him" Jin said with hope.

"Let's not get dragged away by our beliefs. We need to make sure this man recovers. Let's provide some type O blood so he can recuperate" Toshio said.

"I also heated the blood at an appropriate temperature" Jin said.

"Thanks for the assistance, Jin. You're becoming more experienced in this procedure" Toshio said.

"Thanks, as long as I can help save a person's life, it's worth working as a doctor" Jin said, smiling.

Outside the clinic, a man was supporting a woman. The woman looked completely fatigued. Jin noticed the person outside.

"It's Yasumori Mikiyasu and Yasumori Nao! Toshio-sensei, something's wrong with Nao" Jin shouted.

"I got it. Let me talk with them" Toshio said.

Mikiyasu couldn't utter a word. He was in a nervous breakdown.

"Nao's condition has..."

Mikiyasu couldn't finish his sentence. Toshio was angry at the man.

"You idiot! Why didn't you come in yesterday? We tried contacting you!" he said angrily.

"S-she didn't tell me anything like that" Mikiyasu stuttered.

Jin began to inspect Nao carefully. He noticed what appeared to be insect bike marks on her right arm. The marks appeared the same when Jin saw them. He then checked for Nao's pulse.

"Her pulse is quite fast! Toshio, we need to run a blood test! At the same time, we need to prepare a blood transfusion immediately! If we leave her be, she'll go to tachycardia and have heart failure! We need an ECG to monitor her" Jin said.

"You heard Jin. Let's hurry and find a blood pack so she can recover. We'll need Shimoyama-san to prepare for US and CT scanning" Toshio said.

The nurses nodded and began acquiring the blood packs needed for the transfusion. The ECG was brought to Nao. Several transfusion packs of type O blood were brought to her. During the procedure, Nao remained unresponsive.

'Nao's condition got worse... Still, those insect bites concern me... They have the same appearance, not to mention distance from each other... Wait, these insect bites are not what they seem' Jin thought.

He then looked around and noticed a light bruise mark, in the shape of human lips.

'This is! I was right... These are not insect bites... They were done from a human' Jin thought in surprise.

######

Toshio was outside, talking with Mikiyasu.

"So, when did Nao started feeling sick?" Toshio asked.

"Let's see. It was about two to three days ago" Mikiyasu answered.

"Was it the day before or even before that" Toshio questioned.

"It was probably before that. She looked... fatigued" Mikiyasu answered, shedding tears.

'He's still the same crybaby Seishin and I knew... He hasn't changed much, even if the years change' Toshio thought.

"How are you feeling?" Toshio asked.

Mikiyasu was confused of the sudden question.

"I'm referring to you, your family, employees and young ones. Was there anyone who appeared sick If possible, she may have been afflicted with a summer cold" Toshio questioned.

"No, I don't think there was a summer cold" Mikiyasu replied.

"What about your clients? Wasn't there anyone who looked sick or acted strange?" Toshio asked.

Mikiyasu was thinking carefully till he answered.

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

"Now that I think about it, I met the proprietor of Kanemasa and his wife" he answered.

"Kanemasa? You mean the Kirishiki family?" Toshio said.

"Yes. Several days ago, I was with the family at night. We were lightning a flare to entertain my son, Sumumu. We kept our distance as we watched it. By then, we saw them coming to us. Kirishiki Seishirou I believe his name was... Something about them felt unnatural. My son also moved away from them, mentioning that he felt uncomfortable being near them. Junko asked if they're coming over to our place. They mentioned they wanted to be invited in our house. I heard Seishirou saying that he'll stop by 'real soon'. The tone felt monotone. That was it" Mikiyasu explained.

"I only asked if you saw any clients who looked sick. Still, seeing them at night does bother me" Toshio said.

"Toshio-san... Will Nao be ok?" Mikiyasu asked.

"Depending on the blood test results of her condition, you might need to take her to the government hospital in Mizobe Town. Otherwise, I can write a reference to a university hospital" Toshio said.

Mikiyasu was concerned after hearing the news.

"She's not getting any better, is she" he asked.

"Again, it depends on the results from the blood test. For now, we're providing blood transfusion so she can recover. As the young wife of the owner of a construction company, she tends to worry a lot, doesn't she? I have an assistant that'll help check her thoroughly" Toshio said.

Toshio took a cigarette out and started smoking. He felt dreadfully unsure.

'Mikiyasu-san, Jin... Forgive me... I don't think Nao doesn't have much of a survival rate at this moment' Toshio said with despondence.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

It was nighttime in Sotoba. Jin was walking outside to the temple. He was filled with many questions mainly on the outbreak. This made him near frantic as he couldn't find the answers on the mysterious deaths.

'I can't just give up on this case... I know something's wrong, but I don't think the doctor noticed the bruise marks on the insect bites. I don't think they were insect bites to begin with... There's something out there that's causing the epidemic' Jin thought.

He then noticed Seishin, who was sweeping the temple grounds.

"Jin-kun. Why are you here at this time?" Seishin asked.

"I'm just lost at the moment, Muroi-san... I'm trying to pinpoint any source of this silent epidemic. Yet, more lives are being lost than being saved" Jin said.

Seishin began to think of the village's fate.

'If deaths continues to occur, I might think the villager would disappear one day' Seishin thought with concern.

Seishin walked to the young aspiring doctor.

"I understand how stressful you are with this case. You're working with Toshio to provide assistance" Seishin said.

By then, they heard footsteps from the stone staircase. A shadowy figure was looming to the temple grounds. They heard a female voice.

"Muroi-san... You are Muroi Seishin, am I right?" the female voice asked.

"Yes I am" Seishin said.

The shadowy figure revealed herself. It was a young girl who appeared to be a middle schooler. She was wearing a purple black dress with red Mary Jane shoes. Her hair was a dark indigo color, reaching down to her shins. Jin noticed her eyes and skin. The eyes were completely black with a hint of red color. Her skin looked pale enough to rival anyone who were Celtic.

'Who is this girl...? She's too young to start wandering outside at this time... I'm getting this strange and uneasy feeling from her' Jin thought.

"Who are you?" Seishin asked as he walked to the girl.

Jin followed along, making sure nothing happens to the monk. The girl smiled at Seishin.

"Your novels... I like reading them during my pass time" she said.

"You read my novels?" Seishin asked with surprise.

"Yes. Do you find it strange?" the girl asked.

"No... Thank you. I think you're probably the youngest reader of my novels" Seishin said with a small smile.

"Oh. Then who's the person near you?" the girl asked.

Jin revealed himself to the girl.

"His name is Sora Jin. He's one of the younger folks who read my novels" Seishin said.

"I see. Anyway, the novels had a few difficult words" the girl said.

"Do you like reading" Seishin asked.

"I do. Your books were on Otou-san's shelves so I often borrow them to read. There were six full-length novels and two short ones. If that's all, I've read all of your work" the girl said.

"That's amazing and yes. That's all my work. Other than Jin, I never met anyone who read my novels" Seishin said.

"I remember seeing your essays in magazines, too. 'The village is surrounded by death.' Is this the village you mentioned?" the girl asked.

Jin was feeling uncomfortable of the girl's speech.

'This girl... There's something about her that makes me want to move away from her... Her tone sounds rather cheerful, despite mentioning death so casually' Jin said.

"I'm impressed you figured out where" Seishin said.

"If you read it, you can easily tell that it's the village the author lives in. All you have to do is to check the maps using his bio and the temple's name" the girl said.

'This girl... No ordinary girl would know how to do this. Usually, a person who's experienced with computers could search, albeit with mixed results. There's something wrong about this girl' Jin thought.

"A village like a shrine... It sounds nice. I bet Otou-san thought of it like that, too... It's because he decided to move here after reading that essay. I was very much interested in you, Muroi-san. I wanted to see you" the girl finished explaining.

"Are you disappointed because I was different from what you imagined?" Seishin asked with amusement.

Jin snorted a laugh, but tried to compose himself.

"Yeah... You look rather ordinary. I thought you'd have horns and a tail..."

Jin chuckled from seeing Seishin lowering his arms.

'I wonder why she had that imagination' Jin thought in question.

"It's because the stories you write often explain about people who have been forsaken by God. Now I understand. It's because although you don't have horns, you have a scar" the girl said.

Seishin was surprised and his left hand. Jin was surprised of what she deduced from the novels. This also shocked him, knowing that he figured the message when he was 12 years old.

"What is your name?" Seishin asked.

"My name is Sunako. Kirishiki Sunako" the girl said.

"Sunako-chan" Seishin said.

This angered the girl upon using the '-chan' suffix.

"Don't use the '-chan' suffix! I hate it when I hear that!" Sunako said.

This surprised Jin and Seishin. It wasn't the manner of speech, but the tone of her voice.

"I'll teach you one thing, Muroi-san. People normally don't die from cutting their wrists" Sunako said.

Sunako skipped down the stone steps, giggling. Her image disappeared on the darkness. Jin and Seishin were deeply shocked. Jin couldn't believe that Sunako talked casually to a victim of suicide. Seishin looked at his left wrist, which had a scar. Jin placed a reassuring hand on Seishin's wrist.

"Muroi-san, don't let it bother you... I already knew about what you referenced in your novels. Don't feel so depressed about what happened to you" Jin said with reassurance.

"It's ok. But she's right though. A person can't die like that. I suspected it was true" Seishin said.

"In any case, thanks for providing me some hope. I'll be heading back home now" Jin said.

"Head home safely, Jin" Seishin said.

Little did Jin realized, this reassuring feeling was a false hope.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

######

It was a cloudy and sunny Monday on August 28. Another funeral was occurring. Jin was walking with a depressed expression. Nao was pronounced dead in the Ozaki clinic.

Masao noticed the funeral occurring. He took at Jin, whose expression was nothing but depression and sadness. Masao felt bad for him.

'Damn it... There was something that kept making Nao sick. Even the blood transfusions didn't save her... There's no known creature in the medical textbooks capable of this kind of problem' Jin thought.

######

Natsuno was outside walking. He took notice of his friend attending the funeral. He felt sorry for his friend, who was helping the Ozaki clinic with the doctor.

'Jin... These cases have been occur more frequent. I wish I could help you in some way' Natsuno thought.

######

Back in the Tanaka household, Akira was walking to Kaori, who was sitting on the port, eating watermelon slices.

"Hey Kaori... I told you that something strange has been going on" Akira said.

Kaori looked at her brother in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Akira took a slice and began munching on it.

"It's the village. A lot of people are dying with no explanation! Megumi, Yasuyuki from Maruyasu Lumber and many more! It has to do with the people who live in Kanemasa. Yasuyuki met the wife before dying. Megumi also went to Kanemasa and died after she was found from Sora-san. She mentioned to you that she met the wife. What's strange is, they said they didn't know anything" Akira commented, devouring the whole slice.

"Please stop" Kaori shouted.

Kaori was shaking terribly, unable to hold her sadness.

"Kaori" Akira said in concern.

"Let's not talk... about those things... I don't want to hear about that topic" Kaori said.

######

That night, Jin and Natsuno were reading their individual textbooks in Tohru's house. Natsuno was reading a science text book, while Jin was reading a medical textbook. Jin continued reading the book, trying to find more answers. Tohru was playing video games to pass time. Natsuno looked tired from constant reading.

'This doesn't add up! I've looked up every possible term for the strange outbreak of anemia! I couldn't find anything on the exact cause' Jin thought.

The boys heard footsteps that sounded like running. Once the door opened, Masao was there.

"Hey Tohru! Have you heard!? Nao from the construction company just passed away" Masao said frantically.

"We know... Jin told us since he was present at her funeral" Tohru said with melancholy.

Masao took notice of Jin, desperately trying to find something on the medical book. He looked stressed and hopeless. He then noticed Natsuno, which made him angry.

"I wonder though... Is there some kind of weird disease going on...? There have been an increasing number of deaths lately" Masao said with slight concern.

Natsuno stopped reading his textbook and briefly looked. He then resumed studying. This irritated Masao.

"You're pretty cold hearted, Natsuno. I know that Shimizu had a one-sided crush on you, but you could at least have her keepsake" Masao said.

Natsuno ignored him while reading. Jin placed his right hand on Masao's shoulder. He then looked at Jin, who shook his head in silence. Masao didn't voice his opinion upon seeing Jin shake his head.

"She was young to begin with... If what you said is true, then an epidemic might be occurring... We might end up catching the illness one day" Natsuno said.

"Natsuno's correct. In an epidemic, it doesn't matter whether you're young, old, unhealthy or healthy. An epidemic has no discrimination among a population. There's also the factor of probability. However, in this case, it isn't" Jin said.

Masao wisely kept quiet, listening to Jin's reasoning.

"What do you mean?" Natsuno asked.

"The victims of the illness ranged in age. Megumi was the youngest case as of now. It means that this illness not only attacks people, regardless of age, it also attacks makes as well. Another mysterious part of the illness is its ability to infect a healthy human" Jin said.

Natsuno was shocked of what he heard.

"I would be saying 'you're kidding' at this point. However, you were assisting Toshio for quite some time" Natsuno said.

"I just hope that Shimizu doesn't have any grudges on anyone" Masao said with concern.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Natsuno was shocked of what he heard. He closed his book and looked at Masao.

"You sound naive for a person your age" Natsuno commented.

"Natsuno! Be careful there. Masao's been spoiled from his family so I know he doesn't have much knowledge" Jin said, holding Masao back.

Masao was about to lash out at Natsuno till he saw Jin's serious face.

"Calling him an outsider means that you'll categorize your own friend as well. Think before you start talking, both of you" Jin said in a serious tone.

Natsuno and Masao stopped their brief fight.

"Jin has a point there. He's trying to reason with us so there won't be conflict. He always wanted to end a fight from others" Tohru said.

Masao was holding a small slip of paper. He decided to give a slip of paper to Tohru.

"That paper has my new phone number. I changed my cell phone today" Masao said as he left the house.

Jin turned to Natsuno with a slight serious tone.

"Try to reason with him in a civilized manner, Natsuno" Jin said.

Natsuno was falling asleep on Tohru's bed.

"Jin and I will be sleeping here tonight" Natsuno said.

"I packed my sleeping bag so I can sleep here. I also phoned my parents that I'm sleeping over" Jin said.

"Let my parents know... I couldn't sleep well back on my place" Natsuno said as he nod off.

'At least pull the covers up... There has been a summer cold going about' Tohru thought comically.

"I might as well buy something to drink before I sleep" Tohru said.

"I'll head outside with you. I'll by myself a drink as well" Jin said.

"I don't mind if you come. Let's go to the nearest vending machine" Tohru said.

######

Jin and Tohru were outside at a vending machine. When Tohru was about to insert the 100¥ coin into the machine, it slipped out of his hand and rolled underneath.

"Ah man...It slipped out of reach" Tohru said.

Jin shook his head in amusement.

"Having butterfingers from gaming?" Jin asked with a laugh.

Tohru and Jin laughed for a moment before a figure came up to them.

"Is there something wrong?" a male voice said.

The boys looked to the source of the sound. They saw a man wearing purple clothing. Jin took notice of the man's odd hair style, noting the two ear like extensions. They were a tone darker than his already messy hair and eyebrows.

"Who are you?" Tohru asked.

"Good evening. I moved into this village. My name is Tatsumi" the man said in a friendly tone.

"Oh. You're with the family at Kanemasa, correct?" Jin asked.

"Yes, you're right. The Kirishiki family" Tatsumi answered.

"Well, my 100¥ coin slipped from my hand and rolled its way underneath the vending machine" Tohru said, answering Tatsumi's earlier question.

"Oh? Don't worry, I have this back scratcher that I have with me at all times" Tatsumi said.

'At all times? Unless he's a victim of mosquito bites, there's no need to carry that... This man is strange, not to mention uncomfortable' Jin thought.

Tatsumi used the back scratcher to drag the coin out. He gave it back to Tohru.

"Thanks for your help. My name is Mutou and this is Sora-san. I live in the house around the corner" Tohru said.

"Pleased to meet you two. Mind if I come over to your place sometime?" Tatsumi asked.

"Sure I don't mind" Tohru answered.

"That's great. Mind if I bring a friend along" Tatsumi asked.

"Sure, you can" Tohru answered.

"However, not during the late night. If you heard about the summer colds going about, that's why I'm saying that you shouldn't come over during the night" Jin said.

Tatsumi looked defeated, but nodded in response.

"We'll see you sometime" Tohru said.

The boys were leaving. Tohru decided to whisper to Jin.

"What do you mean by that, Jin?" he asked.

"Something about him feels strange. Don't you notice that he looks to jovial? I mean, the village is still mourning, yet he looks happy for some reason... I can't explain what reason I have, but I'll let you know of this... That guys feels like trouble" Jin whispered in explanation.

As the boys left, Tatsumi looked at them with a sadistic smile.

"I'll definitely come see you...sometime soon" Tatsumi muttered.

Tatsumi's right was yellow but his hidden left eye started to glow a blood red color.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

######

The day was Monday, August 29. Seishin was at the temple, about to use the house phone. Jin was with him.

"I'll have to ask... Why are you here with me, Jin?" Seishin asked.

"I'm trying to find a pattern on these deaths. We need to be specific on how they acted prior to becoming ill" Jin said.

"Good point there. Anyway, I'll be using the phone so wait patiently" Seishin said.

The young monk proceeded to use the phone. He was calling the Murasako family. Munehide answered in response.

"What? Oota-san from Sotoba passed away?" Seishin asked.

-Yes. He appeared to be ill. If you recall, he was a high school teacher- Munehide said.

"A teacher... So it wasn't Gouzou, but his son Kenju, that died" Seishin said.

-Yes. About his funeral... -

######

That evening, Natsuno was strolling to clear his head. He recalled seeing Megumi's form outside his window. He repeatedly dismissed it as a hallucination, but he was unsure.

'Every night I keep having that same feeling. It felt dreadful, almost as though someone wants to lunge and attack me' Natsuno thought.

######

Back in the temple, Seishin recorded all the names from the phone.

"About 12 people died this month... It's as you suspected, Seishin... This is an epidemic" Jin said.

Before they could talk, the phone rang.

"Hello? Oh, Tashiro Masaki" Jin said.

'Tashiro-san, the bookstore owner? I wonder what he's calling for' Jin thought.

-Seishin, have you heard...? Takami-san, the resident police officer l, passed away recently- Masaki said.

Jin heard the discussion and was shocked.

'Takami was doing fine weeks ago...! What the hell's going on?' Jin thought with sorrow.

-According to his child, he had been suffering from a cold since yesterday. Today, he feel unconscious in the bathroom today. His wife was so dumbstruck by the shock, she couldn't answer our questions. Could call her and talk to her- Masaki asked.

"Alright. I'll try" Seishin said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Silent Night)

It was night at Sotoba. Jin was staying at Natsuno's place. He was unable to find anything regarding about the epidemic. Both boys knew that they were awake.

'This is not right... I keep searching everything for more information, but it's not adding up... I think it has to do with the Kirishikis that moved in. Yasuyuki's death was no coincidence, not to mention Megumi. Looks like all the deaths point towards the Kirishiki family' Jin thought.

Both boys felt a presence outside. Natsuno and Jin looked at the window. They could feel the presence staring at them. It was a familiar shape that they recognize. The eyes were glowing red, frightening the boys.

'Is that...Shimizu...? She's supposed to be dead' Jin thought in question.

Jin shook his head, but the figure was still there. Natsuno was staring at the figure, who was starting to question his mentality. He closed his eyes and the presence disappeared.

'Damn it... Jin noticed something was out there. He too had a lack of sleep... Whatever we're seeing, it's not normal' Natsuno thought.

Both boys stared at the window for the whole night. Neither of them fell asleep from the horrifying sight.

######

The scenery around the Newspaper club's sight began to fade. The magic screen dissipated, leaving Ruby exhausted. Everyone showed expressions of shock, horror and sorrow.

"This... This was what you experienced back in Sotoba" Gin questioned with fright.

"Yeah... It was a taste of what's coming" Jin stated.

Mizore walked up to Jin and hugged him tightly. She was shaking from what she saw.

"You sure are incredible though, Jin. Helping the doctor of the village find the cause of the epidemic" Moka said.

The rosary that was glowing stopped. Inner Moka was somehow spooked from the memories.

 **'My word... I may be a vampire, but to see such a memory like that... Not even I would account with that kind of horror'** Inner Moka thought.

"I had to help him when things were getting strange. I'll wait till Ruby rests for now so she can display the next memories. Let's rest and eat for now. I'm sure you have many questions but your answers will come" Jin said.

Whew... That's all from here.

I'll be listing the events in chronological order.

When the memories are about to begin and finish, it'll take place back in the current timeline.

There will be some changes on character personality. Masao, being a prime example. In my opinion, he was spoiled and misguided.

The memories will be displayed in a whole month at a time.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11: The cursed past. Revelations of Sotoba part 3: Haunting discovery and anger.

I do not own anything from both series.

Everyone was feeling disturbed by the revelation. It made them feel uncomfortable, knowing what they may witness.

"I know you all have questions, but they'll be answered by the next month of memories. Ruby, have you rested long enough" Jin asked.

"Yes. I also had a look at your memories as well... They are disturbing" she commented.

"Either way, it's the start... The next month will answer your questions" Jin stated.

Although they were disturbed from the unknown activity, they decided to watch the memories. Yukari held on to Jin's hand, shaking like a leaf.

"You don't have to watch it, since you saw them" Jin said.

"No... I want to know more about your past" Yukari said with conviction.

"Same for me. I want to know why you have such a broken mind" Mizore said.

Jin relented. The magic screen opened, showing the next memories.

######

It was Thursday, September 1st. In a restaurant, Ritsuko was chatting with a villager. Jin was present, trying to help with the situation. He knew the villager's name.

"Takami's family moved out of the village? That's right after Takami died" Ritsuko said.

"That's right. His wife and two kids moved out on the same day without saying a word to anybody" the male villager said.

"On the same day" Ritsuko questioned.

"Yes. What's strange is that they left their personal possessions behind" the villager said.

"Anything else we need to know, Masaki Tashiro-san? Anything suspicious that seemed out of the ordinary" Jin asked.

"There was something else. The contractors suddenly appeared in the middle of the night and took the previous owners' possessions away. It was a truck with the name 'Takasago Matsu' written on its side" Masaki said.

"Did anything seem rather odd?" Jin questioned.

"There was a successor for the residential police box by then. I head his name is Sasaki. Between all of us, he doesn't look friendly" Masaki explained.

"That does raise suspicion... It's rather odd that a seasoned officer suddenly comes here, in spite of the low crime rate" Jin stated.

"Takami-san looked young so it was bound to happen" Hasegawa said.

"Couldn't the next police officer be decided on such a rapid pace?" Ritsuko asked.

"That may be the case, Ritsuko-san. However, the number of people leaving and falling ill is increasing. Something doesn't seem to add up" Jin said.

"Come to think of it, I've heard a similar story" Ritsuko said.

"Really? Please share it with us" Jin said.

"The Shinoda family moved using movers with a truck with Takasago pine trees on it. They left at the dead of night, without saying goodbye to their neighbors. Since it was so sudden, people wondered if they skipped town" Ritsuko said.

"The people from Kanemasa moved in during the dead of night. Is this some kind of fad happening here" Masaki asked.

"Not certain. It sounds too suspicious for people to be moving out of the village at night. What's also strange is the people moving in... They came during the night, not during the day" Jin said.

"A moving company that works in the dead of night? That does sound suspicious. Anyway, here's your pasta lunch set, Ritsuko-san" Hasegawa said, handing the meal.

"Wow, this looks delicious! Thank you for the food" Ritsuko said.

"In any case, Jin's right. The strange moving's and outsiders... The occurrences in the village have been becoming stranger and frequent" Hasegawa said.

######

Outside, Jin was walking around the village. He noticed Natsuno at a bridge above the village river.

"Hey Natsuno. What are you doing?" Jin asked.

"Nothing really. Just thinking of some stuff" Natsuno said.

"I see. I've been trying to think of the events of the village. Things have been getting mysterious for the past month" Jin said.

"How so?" Natsuno asked curiously.

"There has been villagers moving out of Sotoba at night. Another strange thing is the newcomers that only show up at night. Don't you think this is weird that people are suddenly moving away and coming in at night" Jin questioned.

"You have a good point there. The occurrences have been getting rather frequent" Natsuno said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - 13th floor)

It was Wednesday, September 7. An ambulance arrived at the Yasumori residence. Toshio was applying CPR to a boy, whose skin turned pale.

"Damn it, just hang on Susumu... Don't die on us" Jin said.

The paramedics rushed in to provide medical help. The Yasumori elders were frantic.

"He had a cardiac arrest just now! Hurry" Toshio said.

Jin walked up to the elders to reassure them.

"Setsuko-baachan, Tokujirou-baasan... We're doing what we can to provide him with medical help" Jin stated, emotionally exhausted.

"D-Doctor... Is Susumu...dead? Is my grandson dead?" Tokujirou asked.

"That doesn't mean we have lost hope in reviving him" Toshio said.

He looked at a picture of Nao in thought.

'Could it be that Susumu contracted Nao's illness and got infected?' he thought.

By then, Mikiyasu walked in. He looked paler and emotionless. His posture appeared lethargic.

"Mikiyasu... What are-?"

Toshio stopped and noticed the state his friend is in.

"Toshio-san... Is Susumu dead?" Mikiyasu questioned.

Jin walked up to him and felt his pulse on his left arm.

"Toshio-sensei... He has tachycardia... I'm sure you noticed the shallow breathing and his sclera" Jin said.

Toshio nodded in response. He then heard Mikiyasu explaining to him.

"Last night, Susumu was sleep-talking and calling Nao... He sounded less energetic and looked sickly. That became...his last words" Mikiyasu said, shedding tears.

Toshio became frantic. He was worried for his friend's health.

"Hold on a second! Him, too! Take him to the government hospital. But let me acquire a blood sample before you go" Toshio said.

Toshio began to extract some blood from Mikiyasu. While Jin watched, he took notice of what appeared to be insect bite marks at the brachial arteries.

"Toshio, those look like insect bite marks... I'll talk about it when we head to the clinic" Jin said.

Toshio understood the message and remained quiet.

(13th floor OST ends here)

######

"That night at the Ozaki clinic, Toshio and Jin were talking.

"So you noticed the same bite marks on Mikiyasu like the previous victims? This does seem strange" Toshio remarked.

"I know. Those don't look like bite marks from a bloodsucking insect. They look like leech bite marks. However, the only leeches capable of hematophagy here are the Japanese mountain leeches. It seems rather farfetched for the villagers to suddenly have a bite mark like that... The strangest part is, the insect bite marks don't seem to cause any uncomfortable sensations. Don't you think that's odd though? Plus, the marks have minor bruising, but it's not like a sting from a wasp or a bite from a tick. It must be something else, but I can't find the exact answer" Jin explained.

By then, the phone rang. Toshio picked up the phone to answer.

"This is Ozaki clinic" Toshio said.

"Good evening, Seishin" a familiar voice said.

"Oh, Seishin. Hold up a minute" Toshio said, placing the phone down.

"Jin, I need you to perform the complement fixation test on the blood while I talk with Seishin" Toshio said.

"No problem. Glad I could help" Jin said, performing the test.

Toshio went back to the phone to talk with Seishin.

"So, what is it that you want to talk about?" Toshio asked.

"I heard that Mikiyasu's son was taken to the hospital by ambulance so I wondered... What did you tell him?" Seishin asked.

"Currently, I'm having some help from Jin, who's examining the peripheral blood sample from Mikiyasu right now" Toshio said.

"Jin is running the test? Does he know what he is doing?" Seishin asked.

"I'm monitoring him right now. He's currently doing the test right now" Toshio said.

"What are the results?" Seishin asked.

Jin was looking at the microscope on the blood sample. He relayed the results to Toshio.

"According to Jin, his hematocrit level and hemoglobin concentrations are below average. This is obviously anemia. Judging by the smear preparation, the reticulocyte cell count has multiplied" Seishin said.

"In other words, it's..." Seishin said in a pause.

"...the same thing" Toshio finished from Seishin's pause.

"I'll have a look around the village for more details on the victims prior to their deaths. Maybe there might be a clue to this" Seishin said.

"Wise choice, Muroi-san. Please do so, but be careful out there" Jin said.

Seishin grunted in response and hung the phone.

"I'll handle the other tests myself, Jin. Head home to rest. You have been helping the clinic for the whole day" Toshio said.

Jin nodded and left the clinic.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

It was a quiet night in Sotoba. Jin was heading home at a slightly fast rate. He didn't like how quiet the village was at night.

'The village was never this quiet... Occasionally, the wild dogs would be howling at this time... Did something disturbed their habitat?' Jin thought.

He then heard the bushes rustle. This made him look at the direction of the sound, expecting anything. Nothing came out of the bushes.

'Something's stalking me right now... I need to run now' He thought.

Jin ran to his house as quick as he could. The faster he ran, the more he heard the bushes rustle. It made him feel more nervous and spooked.

'I'm not dying from a stalker...! I have much to think of the future, but I have to help the villagers' Jin thought.

He ran as quickly as he could till he made it to his house. There was a faint figure prowling outside, watching him. The figure was female, judging by the sound of the giggle, which echoed.

######

Back in Natsuno's house, Natsuno was sleeping but had a disturbed expression. A figure was watching approaching the window sill. It was getting closer, showing a familiar pink color.

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

Natsuno was breathing heavily from the nightmare. Sweat was precipitating from the experience. He looked at the closed window, feeling paranoid due to the recent nightmare he experienced.

'Was that a dream...!? That felt too real to be one... What on earth was that on my dream?' Natsuno thought.

The figure he saw in his dream appeared at the window. Its shadowy form was approaching the window. Natsuno could faintly see a red, dull glow at the eyes. By then, the figure came to light. It was Megumi, only she looked harrowing. Her skin was a pasty white color. She was wearing an all-black dress, adding it to her nightmarish form. She was coming closer till her eyes surrounded his view.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Natsuno woke up, feeling more disturbed than usual. He was breathing heavily, sweat perspiring off of him. He looked at the window, expecting the image he saw, only to find nothing.

'A lucid nightmare... That was a horrifying experience... Why am I having these nightmares?' He thought.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Near the mountain temple, a glint of light was shining. Seishin was looking around the area with a flashlight, thinking of possible answers.

'Mikiyasu-san and his son probably caught the infection from Nao-san... They're probably doomed, due to the high fatality rate' Seishin thought.

Seishin was near an old church, which looked abandoned for years. Despite it not being used, the foundations of the building were okay.

'This is rather strange though... Anemia is usually caused by two major factors: genetics and iron deficiency. How would anemia suddenly have a fatal time at 3 days? Plus, there's no one born with genetic conditions for anemia' Seishin thought.

A fallen twig snapped near him. This got Seishin's attention, making him look at the source of the sound. It was Sunako, wearing an old style gray dress with a red corset.

"You're Sunako" Seishin said in surprise.

"Good evening, Muroi-san. Where am I? Where did I get to?" Sunako asked.

"This is the temple's estate" Seishin answered.

"Temple?" Sunako asked.

She looked at the temple with curiosity.

"Isn't that a church? No, it isn't" Sunako deduced.

"It is a church, according to the people who were building it" Seishin said.

"I see" Sunako said.

"There are some spare flashlights inside the temple. I can lend you a spare if you need one. This place is like a secret base for me" Seishin said.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

Seishin and Sunako went inside the temple. Seishin lit a candle to provide light in the church. Sunako was looking at a glass mural with curiosity.

"It's stained glass... What a creepy painting. A man being immolated" Sunako commented, looking at the glass murals.

"The one with the burning man is called 'Mino Odori'" Seishin replied.

Sunako looked around and came to a conclusion.

"So the people who built this church were martyrs, weren't they?" she asked.

"I believe they were martyrs. Kanemasa built this place single-handedly before the war" Seishin explained.

"I have known of that area before. It's what the villagers call the place my family live in" Sunako said, giggling.

Seishin felt somewhat unnerved of Sunako's arrival in the middle of the night.

"Sunako, do you always go out at this time?" Seishin questioned.

"I can't go out during the day. I have a body condition that prevents me from being exposed to ultraviolet rays. We moved here to help me deal with the condition" Sunako explained.

This made Seishin calm down, hearing the facts.

"You don't have to feel sympathetic for me" Sunako said in reassurance.

"It's not about you, Sunako. My childhood friend and his son were afflicted from an illness and I fear they might not survive" Seishin said.

"You aren't sad when the elderly pass on?" Sunako asked.

"It's not that... Don't you think it is a terrible sight when two young people suddenly die" Seishin asked.

"Death is never a pleasant sight. Be it young, old, good or evil. It's the same for everyone. There's no especially horrible deaths. That's what makes it so fearsome" Sunako said, twirling on the floor.

Seishin watched as she continued her explanation.

"Behavior, age, character, wealth, and beauty matter when you're alive. But when death comes, none of that matters. It brings all to naught" Sunako explained.

Seishin was surprised on what Sunako said. He couldn't utter a word from how much understanding Sunako had on the concept of life and death. Sunako was heading to the door of the church.

"I should be heading back home now! Mind if I come back here again?" she asked.

"Well, you are free to come over... But the night roads are dangerous. I wouldn't advise you to" Seishin answered.

"People are only half-free. I won't give up to a relative sense of danger. Next time, I'll bring a book over. Mind if I get an autograph if we meet again?" Sunako asked with a giggle.

Seishin watched as Sunako's form disappeared into the forest. The darkness was too thick for him to see beyond.

######

It was a sunny Monday, September 12. Natsuno and Jin looked terrible. Natsuno dashed to the outskirts of Sotoba, feeling more inclined to head back to Mizobe Town.

'There's something going on in Sotoba... Whatever it is, it has been disturbing me. Most likely Jin may have the same experience. I briefly saw him walking to the clinic with a tired expression' Natsuno thought.

He was overlooking the view of Mizobe Town as he watched the horizon. It made him feel concerned for his friend.

######

Jin used his bicycle to head to the clinic. He looked somewhat haggard, due to lack of sleep.

'Those random encounters are beginning to be more disturbing... I have to be careful now... Wandering outside at night doesn't seem safe anymore' Jin thought.

When Jin was about to step inside, he heard Ritsuko talking to Toshio.

"Sensei, Dr. Taniguchi from the government hospital is on the phone" Ritsuko said.

Toshio went to the phone as soon as Jin entered.

"Ah Jin. Could you wait a moment please?" Toshio asked.

Jin nodded and sat down on a nearby seat. Only few words were exchanged from Toshio.

"Sensei, was it about Mikiyasu Yasumori-san?" Yasuyo asked.

Toshio said nothing for a few seconds. He then turned to the nurses behind him.

"Yasuyo-san, Ritsuko-san... I'd like to hold a meeting in the lounge after the morning consultations. Please inform everyone immediately. Jin, I need you to attend this meeting" Toshio said.

"Yes" both nurses said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

The meeting began for the people in the clinic. Toshio began his explanation to the staff.

"Mutou-san and Towada-san, this might be difficult for you to follow since you do the admin work. Feel free to ask questions if things are unclear. Mikiyasu from Yasumori Construction passed away on the 10th. This puts the total death count in the village at 19" Toshio explained.

The staff was surprised of the number. It made them look at Toshio with shock.

"19...!? That many?" the staff whispered.

"Toshio's right. There were indeed this much" Jin stated.

"Some of the deaths occurred outside of the village. Including them and the deaths reported to the village office, Mikiyasu is the 19th victim. We're in the midst of something abnormal. It's no mistake to consider this an epidemic" Toshio said.

"However, this one is not an existing epidemic. It was suspected to be an allergic reaction to a foreign substance. However, there were no foreign chemicals or traces found on the victims. Plus, they showed no allergic reactions to any medical treatments as of yet" Jin said.

"Indeed. In any case, unless we can verify the cause of death, we can't risk requesting assistance from the federal government" Toshio said.

By then, Tohru's father, Mutou, began to question Toshio.

"Can't we ask the local government to investigate the cause" he asked.

"I'm currently working on it. But in order to do so, we need to gather data to write a report. The only physical symptom that comes to note is that it starts with anemia. Jin and I performed the tests on every blood sample from the victims. According to the results, it's classified as normocytic-normochromic anemia" Toshio explained.

A radiologist from the clinic decided to provide answers of the issue.

"The cause would be bleeding or hemolysis... That would explain why Nao used the CT scan. However, she showed no signs of internal bleeding" the radiologist said.

"That makes it more confusing, Shimoyama-san. If there was no internal bleeding, then the likelihood may have been external" Jin said.

"Then hemolysis is the factor" Ritsuko questioned.

"If all possibilities are eliminated, that's the only one to think. However, the test results can't confirm it whether the erythrocytes are undergoing lysis. It's likely a drug or poison was used. However, that possibility is null, since the patients we know don't show traces of Amy foreign chemicals. It's important to note that they die during the night most of the time" Toshio said.

"Could it be PNH then?" a nurse said.

Jin noted the nurse appearing at her early middle age. Her hair was a dark green bowl cut. Her eyes were black in color.

"PNH, also known as Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria" Yasuyo said.

"Good call on that one, Nagata Kiyomi-san, Hashiguchi Yasuyo-san. However, there's an indication when the victim has that condition. Also, factors on chemical exposure, like chloramphenicol antibiotics and benzene would show in the person's bloodstream. The typical symptom is a red, discolored urine sample due to the presence of hemoglobin, fatigued, rapid heart rate, and labored breathing. If the cells began to lysis, due to this condition, then PNH would've shown due to the presence of PIGA, also known as phosphatidylinositol glycan A. This is what makes this condition a type of acquired, chronic condition" Jin explained.

"If you're deduction is correct, Sora-san, then how Nao did passed away?" Ritsuko asked.

"It's not the form of PNH... It's likely she was drained of blood. From what I can understand, her last day coming here showed symptoms of severe blood loss. Also, bear in mind that PNH can cause arterial blood clots. If that's the case, she would've died sooner from heart failure than usual" Jin answered.

"PNH also has the possibility of kidney failure too" a young nurse said.

Jin looked at the nurse who stated more facts. She was reaching her early 20s. She had soft brown hair with matching eyes.

"That's another possibility there, Isaki Satoko-san. Remember, if the kidneys had the hemoglobin flowing in the nephrons, the urine would turn red. The large proteins would cause damage to the kidneys in response. Also, PNH tends to occur slowly, not rapidly" Jin answered.

"Come to think of it, Gotouda Fuki-chan's death was ruled as kidney failure" Satoko said.

"Again, a urine sample would've been acquired to test for any presence of hemoglobin. If that didn't work, there's the flow cytometry. But that would take some time, due to needing careful analysis" Jin said.

"Jin's right though... I wonder if it's a severe case of PNH" Yasuyo said.

Toshio began to speak out.

"As you can see, the nurses are very capable and understanding. It's likely that may be the case. However, Mikiyasu's test results showed signs of disorders. The lungs, kidneys and liver showed signs of damage" Toshio said.

"Sounds like Multiple Organ Failure, otherwise called MOF" a young, red haired nurse said.

Jin noted the nurse who spoke. She had red hair with multiple pigtails behind her. Her eyes were an olive green.

"Sounds like it, Shiomi Yuki. Nowadays, it's called secondary MODS or Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome" Jin stated.

"That would mean the entire body would break down" Toshio said.

"That would be due to SIRS, a form of sepsis. That would be easily detectable if the lymphocyte count was below 4000 cells per mm^3, greater than 12000 cells per mm^3, or the presence of over 10% immature neutrophils" Jin said.

"In any case, the outbreak starts as an initial sign of anemia. It then reaches at MOF in about 3-4 days, leading to death" Toshio said.

"But, what is the transmission of the illness? If it's a direct infection, the patient's family are the first ones to be infected, right?" Satoko questioned.

"Especially us" Yasuyo said.

Jin noticed the medical administrator paying attention to him. He looked amazed of his knowledge in medical terms.

'I know a lot about medicine here, Towada-san. I want to provide assistance to help stop this outbreak' Jin thought.

"What about likely vectors?" Yuki asked.

"Rats and mosquitos...? Hmmm, not likely. Unless the mosquitos are carriers of a viral strain, the victims should've shown a trace of the viral proteins within the bloodstream. Plus, they're acting in warm climates like right now. If that were the case, the village would've been infected" Jin deduced.

"Perhaps most of them are unaffected" Ritsuko said with uncertainty.

"There were some families that have been hit by several deaths. The others were left unscathed" Yasuyo said.

"Could it be a genetic immunity?" Yuki questioned.

"At the moment, I'm inclining to suspect it was vectors. In any case, let's focus on gathering data from the cases. I know you are all worried, but if we're careful, we can possibly prevent the infection. The most important thing is not to make the clinic a spruce of infection. Also, don't spread word about this until we know for sure what we're dealing with. We don't want to start a panic" Toshio said.

Jin was thinking carefully of the case. Toshio took notice of him and decided to ask him.

"What are you thinking about, Jin?" Toshio asked.

"It's about those bite marks we often see on the victims. They may have been caused by mosquitos. However, they're not" Jin said.

"Something you've been thinking about lately?" Yuki asked.

"I had to venture to guess, but those bite marks are not your typical insect bites. I even looked up the bite marks from leeches. Of course, they weren't the same. Those marks are also like a segmented line. Toshio-sensei, you recall seeing those marks making a straight line roughly 1 inch in length" Jin stated.

"Yes... That was the distance between the pair of bite marks. What does that have to do with the case?" Toshio asked.

"Mosquitos don't have that much capacity to feed on that much blood that rapidly. Even an Amazonian leech would have problems feeding that much blood to induce anemia. I had a close look on one of the notes from one of the patients and tried to find out what was the cause. Fortunately, it wasn't leeches. However, what I did notice was the diameter of the bite marks. If one were to measure the distance, they appeared to be made from a human mouth" Jin said, shocking everyone.

"A human mouth!? Are you suggesting someone is suffering from Clinical Vampirism, also known as Renfield's syndrome!?" Toshio asked.

"It's a likely factor. The bite marks were the clue to what caused the cases of anemia in the village. If that's the case, then the one who has been feeding on the victims is also suffering from Porphyria, otherwise known as vampire syndrome" Jin deduced.

"How were you able to get this information?" Mutou asked.

"It took some searching on the Internet, but I was able to research these conditions. Turns out that the incisors grow long enough to essentially reach the same diameter to an adult's mouth. However, it varies on some cases. Since the syndrome is also rare, chances of finding a victim with clinical vampirism, Porphyria and Renfield's syndrome are almost null. However, we have a likelihood, due to the bite marks. That's our likely cause of hemolysis" Jin explained.

"But if the victim was bitten, wouldn't they be alert of it?" Yasuyo questioned.

"It's likely the culprit is using fast acting anticoagulants or local anesthetic sources to block off the nerves. Hence why our victims couldn't describe any pain from infliction" Jin said.

"As you all can see, Jin's deduction on the cases are extraordinary for someone his age. He has helped this clinic numerous times in most cases" Toshio said.

The meeting was over in the clinic. Everyone was impressed of Jin's deduction in such a calm tone.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

Natsuno walked to a nearby building and was sitting on the rooftop, watching Sotoba village from a distance. This was making him think more about the town far off from Sotoba.

'Father, mother... We should have moved back to Mizobe Town... Something wrong is happening here' he thought.

Natsuno left the rooftop and went to take the bus back to the village. He was exhausted from the lack of sleep.

'Might as well take a nap to calm myself down' he thought.

Natsuno fell asleep in the bus. Despite the seemingly quiet nap, he heard a voice that was eerily familiar.

"Good morning, Yuuki-kun" the voice said.

This made him wake up from his nap. He then noticed a familiar girl with pink hair and two blue spotted ribbons. This shocked him of seeing 'Megumi' in the bus. 'Megumi' turned her head, showing her eyes glowing a dull red. Natsuno stood up from his seat in shock. When he did, Megumi wasn't there.

'Damn it... I was hallucinating... She's dead first of all. She shouldn't be here' he thought.

######

Natsuno got off from the bus. He took notice of Jin, who was there. Both looked disheveled from today. They were walking unsteadily back to Sotoba. While walking, Tohru showed up.

"Natsuno, Jin. What's the matter? You two are walking in a shaky way" he said.

Tohru noticed their fatigued state and was surprised.

"Whoa...! You both look terrible. What seems to be the problem?" he asked in concern.

"I think...it would be a...good time to ask...if we can stay over for tonight" Natsuno said.

"Sure. How about you Jin?" Tohru asked.

"Count...me in... Today's been...rather stressful" Jin said tiredly.

"Okay. There's something I want to talk to you two about too" Tohru said.

"It's hot, you know" Natsuno said.

######

In Tohru's house, the mother was watching TV. Tamotsu and his father were playing Shogi. Tohru's sister was asking the family something.

"Oh? Where's Tohru-chan, Natsuno and Jin?" she asked.

"They're in Tohru's room" the mother said.

"Natsuno and Jin have been coming by frequently. I wonder if they have any friends" the sister commented.

"Hey now, Aoi" her mother said.

"Game over" Mutou said.

"Eh!?" Tamotsu said in surprise.

######

In Tohru's room, he was playing video games. Natsuno and Jin looked exhausted, laying near a wall.

"Natsuno, Jin, I know you two have a desire to leave the village. But if you two continue to overwork yourself without rest, you're bound to get sick" Tohru said in slight worry.

"I'm doing what I can to help the clinic, Tohru. It's stressful yes, but at least I'm providing help" Jin retorted.

Natsuno, and Jin were somewhat tired, but they had a book to study with.

"Geez, Tohru-san. You can at least study with us instead of playing video games" Jin said in a playful tone.

"Hahaha... My bad. I'll be joining you guys to the study group" he said.

"You can at least stop calling me by my given name" Natsuno complained.

Natsuno merely sighed. He appreciated Jin being with him. Both boys didn't want to sleep at their houses after the experiences they have dealt with.

'This study group oddly feels comfortable to have. I guess I've grown more tolerant with my friends' Natsuno thought.

"Say Natsuno, Jin. Can you two do me a favor?" Tohru asked.

This got the attention of the boys. They listened to Tohru's favor.

"That's something new... What do you need help with?" Natsuno asked.

"You two know Rit-chan, right?" Tohru asked.

"Oh, Kunihiko Ritsuko. We know her" Jin said.

"Well, I want to go on a drive with her this weekend, but I'm not confident to ask her out. Can you guys come with me when I ask her" Tohru asked.

This surprised Natsuno, making him wide awake.

"Isn't she always in the car while you practice driving?" Natsuno asked.

"Well, I want to call it a date instead" Tohru said.

"Hold on a minute there. She may look young, but she's older than you by a few years. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with being into that, but..."

Natsuno's explanation made Tohru quiet for a while. He knew that Natsuno was concerned for him, but decided to remain silent. Reluctantly, Natsuno decided to help.

"Alright... I'll help you and come along" he said.

Tohru's demeanor quickly changed to positive. This surprised the boys.

"Really!? Thanks for the help! I knew you two would come around" he said.

Immediately, Jin stopped him by holding on to the shoulders.

"Too close there, Tohru" Jin said, making Tohru laugh.

The boys continued studying for almost an hour. Natsuno was feeling tired from the relentless study. Jin was also tired as well. Tohru noticed the boys looking completely exhausted.

"I'm really exhausted" Natsuno said.

"If you guys are planning to stay for the night, I have a couple of spare futons for you guys. You two can come over whenever you like" Tohru said.

"I appreciate that" Jin said.

"Okay" Natsuno said somnolently.

Natsuno merely nod off on Tohru's bed. Jin was able to drag him to the futon Tohru set up.

"Don't fall asleep yet" Tohru said jokingly.

"He's really pushing himself to study hard for those exams... Don't take it harshly from him, Tohru. He's a kind hearted person once you get to know him" Jin said.

"It's ok. I know he means well" Tohru said smiling.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Silent Night)

The boys were sleeping quietly. Unknown to them, two figures were watching them. Their eyes were glowing red. One figure was a male with sky blue hair. The other was female with pink hair. The female giggled, knowing the people she likes are inside the house.

Natsuno and Jin felt their presence. They began to stir from their sleep.

The female figure opened the foyer door and was walking inside. The footsteps were loud enough for the boys to hear them. Jin and Natsuno were unable to move, due to sleep paralysis. They felt their bodies sweating profusely as the figure was moving closer to Tohru's room.

'Shimizu Megumi' Jin and Natsuno thought.

The boys felt the presence encroach towards the door. Fear was gripping them in cold hands. The figure opened the door, but it wasn't the figure they thought of. It was Mutoi Aoi. The boys quickly shut their eyes and pretended to sleep.

"Aw... They all fallen asleep... I'll have to ask Otou-san for help on my homework" she said.

Natsuno and Jin breathed in relief.

"It was Aoi" Natsuno said.

"That was scary" Jin commented.

The boys began to slowly fall asleep. However, a haunting voice called them.

"Yuuki-kun... Sora-kun" the voice said.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

The boys were immediately frightened from the sound. They looked to the source to find Megumi lying on her back, hiding underneath Tohru's futon. She was staring at them with a haunting smile. The boys were breathing erratically.

"Good evening Yuuki-kun, Sora-kun" Megumi said.

She slowly slid out from the futon. Bones were cracking loudly along with the sickening sound of flesh being pulled. Megumi stood up, looking at the boys, who were powerless. They couldn't move at all due to their sleep paralysis.

Megumi was wearing a red-black gothic corset. Her skin was pasty white, like a dead body. Her eyes were completely black, but a faint glow of red was starting to show. The irises started glowing brightly, scaring the boys.

'It is her' Natsuno thought in horror.

'It can't be...! She supposed to be dead' Jin thought in horror.

By then, Megumi noticed Tohru and looked crossed. The boys noticed her looking at him.

"Honestly, I don't like your friend. How come you two have so much time with him instead of sparing a moment for me? Why is that, Tatsumi" Megumi asks towards the window.

A male figure was shown, eyes glowing red. The boys were surrounded by the shiki. They couldn't do anything due to sleep paralysis. They were completely engulfed in fear.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

(Play Shiki - OST Pendulum)

"Well then" Megumi said, not finishing her sentence.

She then smiled and opened her mouth. Two fangs were shown from her incisors. She slowly went to Tohru's neck.

'No... Stop...! LEAVE HIM ALONE!' the boys thought with fear.

Megumi's mouth encircled Tohru's neck and bit him.

(Pendulum OST ends here)

######

Natsuno and Jin woke up from the nightmare. Both were sweating profusely from the shock. They quickly looked at Tohru, who was fast asleep.

"Tohru! Are you alright!?" Natsuno asked.

"Wake up, Tohru" Jin said.

Tohru woke up, but was still tired. The boys noticed his neck didn't had a bite mark. Both of them fell to the ground in complete relief. This confused Tohru as he saw the boys fall on the floor.

'It was a dream' Natsuno thought.

'That felt too real to be one... I hope that was a dream' Jin thought.

"Sorry for waking you up, Tohru... Just a bad dream" Jin said.

"Goodnight" Natsuno said.

"Goodnight" Tohru said somnolently.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

It was a sunny Tuesday, September 13. Seishin was riding a scooter, trying to find answers of the village deaths.

'The villagers are dying one after another... What is this illness that gnaws at the people of Sotoba? It's already bad enough for me to put the surviving family members through it, but I need to know of the state of the deceased prior to death. I might be able to find a clue somewhere' he thought.

Seishin arrived at what appeared to be a greenhouse farm. In it, a man was working with the crops.

"Good day to you, Masaji Shimizu. It's been a while" Seishin said.

"Well hello there, Junior Monk" Masaji said.

"I heard about Ryuuji-san, who passed away the other day. I thought I could at least provide some incense" Seishin said.

######

Seishin was at an altar that was made for Ryuuji. He provided the incense to the altar and rung the altar bell.

'I'd like to visit every person and hopefully, I'll find a clue' Seishin thought.

After the incense providing to the altar, Seishin began talking with Masaji about Ryuuji.

"Shimizu Ryuuji told us that the results of his spring physical showed no problems. Yet, out of nowhere, he passed away from heart failure" Masaji said.

"Did he showed signs of being ill prior to his death?" Seishin asked.

"Well, we don't know much, but I heard he turned his resignation that same day" Masaji answered.

"A resignation?" Seishin asked in surprise.

"Yes. He made a big fuss, demanding approval of his immediate resignation and fainted after" Masaji said.

"That sounds as though he was not doing well" Seishin said.

"I'm not certain... If he was doing well, he could've just called in sick. I don't know what he was thinking" Masaji explained.

"Thank you for telling me this. I must get going" Seishin said.

"Please be careful, Junior Monk" Masaji said.

######

Seishin was driving across Sotoba, thinking of the recent deaths. He arrived at an area of the village called Naka-Sotoba.

"Hirosawa Takatoshi from Naka-Sotoba passed away on August 11th. The deceased Hirosawa-san was never one of the temple's parishioners, but I thought you might know something about him since you're a caretaker for Naka-Sotoba, Masaharu Koike-dono" Seishin said.

"No... In the old days, I could talk about someone as if we were a family member by hearing their name only, but..."

Koike paused as Seishin listened carefully.

"Then" Seishin said, waiting for an answer.

"The first time I heard of Hirosawa Takatoshi-kun's funeral from the Hirosawa family was at his own funeral. According to his parents, he fainted in a pachinko parlor in Mizobe Town and never woke up" Koike said.

"Then, was there any sign that he was sick" Seishi asked.

"Well, he fell unconscious in a pachinko parlor, so... The surprising thing was that he quit his job three days prior" Koike explained.

"He quit that suddenly?" Seishin asked with uncertainty.

"Not even his parents knew. Sign of the times, maybe" Koike said.

'Suddenly quitting his job and not informing anyone... It seems that something that hasn't been overlooked is causing the issue' Seishin thought.

"Thank you for providing this information" Seishin said.

"Anytime, Junior Monk" Koike said.

######

Outside, Seishin was riding his scooter across Sotoba, thinking about the details.

'Hirosawa Takatoshi. Shimizu Ryuuji. Those two quit their jobs prior to their deaths. This sounds very strange. I may need to pay a visit to the Yasumori family for more information' Seishin thought.

He arrived at the Murasako household.

"Oh, Hi Junior Monk. How can I help you?" Munehide said.

"Good day to you, Murasako-san. I have some questions regarding about Oota Kenji" Seishin said.

"Oota Kenji-san... It's regarding about what happened to him, correct" Munehide said.

"Yes" Seishin replied.

"Right before he passed away, it seemed he was planning to quit his job as a teacher. Since it was in the middle of the school year, he was persuaded to stay. Speaking of which, Saeki Akira, one of my neighbors, quit his job before he passed on too" Munehide explained.

"Did he appear sick or anything unusual?" Seishin questioned.

"No" Munehide answered.

"Then the recently deceased..."

Seishin paused, waiting for an answer from Munehide.

"I heard that Takashuma Yasuo quit his job as well. What is happening to the people in this village?" Munehide questioned.

Seishin couldn't answer the question. He too was also seeking answers.

"Two families have moved out of this shopping district alone. There have been a large number of funerals lately. It's as though the village is being abandoned" Munehide said.

Seishin felt the man's concern. He remained silent in response.

(Play Shiki OST - Youth)

"Until my grandchildren get older...

######

Natsuno was on his way to school via bus. He felt somewhat calmer than usual but he recalled the nightmare he had.

'I can't sense Shimizu anymore. Yet, why do I have a sense of foreboding?' he thought.

Natsuno felt confused, not knowing of the impending danger. He continued riding the bus.

######

Seishin was driving in the shopping district of Sotoba. He was looking for more answers.

'Old man Ookawa is one of the relatives of the deceased Mr. Gigorou Ookawa' Seishin thought.

Right when he was making he turn, he heard a sudden beating. He saw Atsushi thrown out in the street. This made Seishin quickly stop his bike.

"I told you to take care of it right away, didn't I?! At least Jin's providing help" Tomio said.

By then, Tomio heard the phone ring. He went to answer it.

"Matsu...! Do you have any idea what time it is?" Tomio said angrily.

"What? Your daughter? What about Yasuyo?" Tomio questioned.

This got Jin by surprise. While he helped stack the items in the store, he listened to the conversation.

'Yasuyo...?! That's Muramatsu Yasuzou's daughter' Jin thought.

"Well, um... She passed away" Yasuzou said.

"She died? Since when?" Tomio asked in surprise.

"She was sick this morning, so I called an ambulance, but she died just a short time ago... I just don't know what to do" Yasuzou said.

"You fool! At times like this, you really need to get it together! Are you at the hospital!? I'll be there, so clench your teeth and wait for me!" Tomio shouted.

"How awful... I hope Muramatsu-san feels better" Jin said in sympathy.

"What a waste" Atsushi commented.

This earned him another smack on the head, courtesy of Tomio, his father.

"Nice one" Jin said.

Tomio noticed Seishin outside the liquor store.

"Oh, Junior Monk" Tomio said respectfully.

"Old man, has Yasuyo..."

Seishin was interrupted of his question when Tomio was heading out.

"Yes. I'm heading out to check on Matsu. Jin, when you're done, you can leave. I appreciate the help" Tomio said, driving off.

(Youth OST ends here)

The young monk was contemplating on the recent event. He decided to broaden his search.

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

'There's a library across from the Ookawa Liquor Store. I guess I'll ask the librarian Mr. Yuzuki some questions too' Seishin thought.

######

Seishin arrived at the library to talk with the librarian. It was a middle aged woman.

"Oh, Junior Monk, I'm sorry. Yuzuki-san quit his job all of a sudden" the female librarian said.

"What? Don't tell me... Did he passed away?" Seishin said in surprise.

"What? No, no. He just quit his job. That's why I'm working two jobs - here and the nursery next door. He was a popular person among the children. We're all surprised when he suddenly asked for retirement. He seemed to like it here... I wonder if he's heading somewhere" the female librarian explained.

######

Back at the temple, Seishin was writing out information from what he heard.

'Shimizu Ryuuji, Hirosawa Takatoshi, Oota Kenji, Saeki Akira, Takashima Yasuo... All of them quitting their jobs so suddenly' he thought.

"Mr. Yuzuki quit his job all of a sudden."

The female librarian's voice provided another clue needed.

######

It was a cloudy Friday, September 16. Natsuno and Jin were at their school. They noticed a familiar girl nearby.

"Oh Aoi" Natsuno said.

"Ah, Natsuno and Jin. What is it?" Aoi asked with a happy tone.

"What happened to Tohru? He's absent again" Jin said.

"He's probably playing hooky" Aoi said.

"What?" Natsuno asked.

"He recently bought a new video game, so he has been playing it all this time. He was laying around like he's in a trance" Aoi said.

"I see" Natsuno said.

"Well, I want to go on a drive with her this weekend, but I'm not confident to ask her out."

Natsuno and Jin remembered what Tohru asked for.

"Are you two going to stop by today?" Aoi asked.

"Oh, not today. We'll be stopping by earlier than usual tomorrow" Natsuno said, smiling.

(Fir Trees OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Saturday, September 17. Natsuno and Jin were on their way to visit Tohru for his date.

'I still can't believe that Tohru would be dating Ritsuko' Natsuno thought.

'What Aoi said yesterday... It's starting to bug me. I have a bad feeling about this' Jin said, quickening his pace.

Natsuno noticed Jin walking faster till he noticed him running to Tohru's place.

"Jin! What's wrong?" Natsuno asked.

By then, Toshio arrived at the house, much to Natsuno's shock.

'He's from the Ozaki Clinic...! That means...' Natsuno thought.

Jin rushed his way inside, seeing Toshio coming in frantically. Aoi and Tamotsu were waiting for the doctor.

"Otou-san, the young doctor came! Jin is also here" Aoi said.

"Doctor" Mutou said frantically.

Natsuno now felt a dreadful sensation creeping on his back.

In Tohru's room, Toshio and Jin were examining Tohru. Toshio used a flashlight to find any pupillary reflex on the eyes. Jin was looking for a pulse. The Mutou family was waiting for an answer. Both noticed their down hearted expression. Jin was emotionless, realizing he lost a dear friend.

"Mutou-san, this is..." Toshio paused.

Natsuno was slowly walking up the staircase to Tohru's room. The sensation was growing stronger with each step.

"Hey... What is wrong with Onii-chan? Is he sick?" Aoi asked reluctantly.

Mutou forcefully closed his eyes, hiding his pain.

"Your brother is... Tohru...is dead" Mutou said.

(Play Shiki OST - Pray)

A wave of shock spread across the family. Natsuno also realized the nightmare he and Jin had. The cold sensation showed him that the dream was real. He saw Megumi's figure biting Tohru's neck. There was blood on her lips. This shocked Natsuno deeply. Jin walked away from the family like a zombie. Everyone noticed his actions. They couldn't do anything for him.

'Shimizu' Natsuno thought.

(Pray OST ends here)

######

Natsuno was at his place, feeling depressed. He heard a knock on his door. His mother, Azuza, showed a comforting expression.

"Natsuno? We should go to the wake now" Azuza said.

"Please go on ahead..." Natsuno said.

"Okay. Ah yes. You got a postcard. It's an end of summer greeting card" Azuza said.

Natsuno looked at the card and saw who it was sent from. He saw the surname 'Shimizu' written on the letter. This shocked him when he saw the name.

"This 'Shimizu-san' is the girl who passed away last month, right? To think that you're receiving her postcard right now" Azuza said.

Natsuno calmed himself down. He reasoned his mother with a logical sentence.

"It's probably due to a delay in the delivery. It's nothing we should be worried about" Natsuno said calmly.

######

Outside, Jin was walking. He had an emotionless expression on his face. From the Murasako house, Masao noticed Jin. He was surprised to see one of his friends looking so zombie-like.

'Tohru... Your friends and family are missing you now. Jin is in shock' Masao thought with concern.

He then heard an adult male voice shouting frantically.

"Tou-san! Hiromi is...!" The voice said.

"What? What is the matter?" Munehide asked.

Masao went downstairs and saw his older brother rushing.

"He's looking strange. We'll take him to the Ozaki clinic immediately" Masao's brother said.

"What? Is he feeling sick? Complications from a cold or something? Does he have a fever?" Munehide asked.

"No" Masao's brother said.

"Yet, why is he like that?" Munehide asked.

"Hiromi! Hiromi! Hey, it's your grandpa. Can't you hear me?" Munehide called to Hiromi.

Jin noticed the Murasako family heading out. He noticed their frantic actions.

"You have a sick patient? I'll phone Toshio-sensei so he'll know" Jin said.

The Murasako family were surprised of Jin wandering about. They noticed his expressionless face.

"What happened to you, Jin?" Munehide asked.

"I'll answer later" Jin said.

Masao noticed Jin helping the Murasako family. Although slightly envious, he felt bad seeing Jin like this.

"We're heading out to the clinic" Masao's brother said.

"Alright, I'm coming too" Munehide said, going into the car.

Masao looked at the car, noticing Hiromi looking unresponsive.

'Hiromi isn't feeling well at all. Jin was right, something strange is happening' Masao thought.

"Masao, take care of the house while we're gone" Munehide said.

Masao watched as the car left to the clinic. Jin was nearby, showing an emotionless look.

"Snap out of it, Jin. This isn't like you" Masao said.

"Tohru's dead... My best friend...was killed" Jin muttered.

Masao didn't hear him, but he can feel Jin's pain.

"Today... My parents had the same illness that Hiromi has... I saw them looking sick" Jin revealed.

Masao was shocked of his friend. He looked so broken from his mind. He brought him in his house to calm him down.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

Natsuno was looking outside his window with the postcard Megumi sent him.

'Shimizu... I'll never forgive you for taking Tohru's life. It's meaningless for you to get my attention' Natsuno thought.

He proceeded to rip the postcard to shreds. After shredding it, he tossed it out and closed his window.

######

In the Murasako household, Masao's elder brother was talking with his wife of Hiromi.

"Do you want me to carry him?" he asked.

"It's fine. I'll send him back to bed" his wife said.

He looked at Hiromi with a sullen expression.

"It took pretty long to run the tests... I wonder if he'll be alright" Munehide said.

"Oyaji, although the young doctor told us that it might be a difficult anemia case, he told us to bring Hiromi in again if he gets sick, even if it's the middle of the night" Masao's brother said.

"Even so..." Munehide paused when he saw Masao and Jin.

Masao's older brother noticed them and took note of Masao's expression. He looked worried for Jin, who appeared emotionless.

"Jin, are you alright?" Masao's brother asked.

"Munetaka Murasako-san... Don't lose sight of any of your family members from now on... I've already lost someone I knew. I don't plan on losing another friend" Jin said.

Munetaka and Munehide were surprised of Jin telling them this. They felt terrible, seeing Jin become like this.

"I hope Hiromi feels better... I'm worried about Chizuko-neechan. The number of people getting sick and dying are increasing... I fear for the other's safety" Masao said.

"Watch your tongue, Masao" Munehide exclaimed.

Jin looked up with a cold expression at Munehide. This stopped everyone as they noticed the cold sight.

"What should I say, Otou-san...? That people are just getting sick and we shouldn't worry about it? Jin's already lost a best friend and he's become depressed for the whole day. Tell me, what should I say!?" Masao exclaimed.

"Masao!" Munehide yelled.

Munetaka placed his hand on his father's shoulder to stop him.

"Enough already, Masao! You're acting unreasonable since Hiromi got sick!" Munetaka said.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! It would be a wise choice to watch out for everyone. Whatever is spreading in Sotoba, it's going after anyone. I'm already concerned enough for you all, along with my friends" Masao said in concern.

Munehide responded by slapping Masao. This got Jin angry enough to clench his hand on Munehide's arm.

"What...are...you doing, Murasako-baasan?" Jin said coldly.

Munehide noticed Jin looking angry. He didn't like the fact that he was squeezing his arm harshly enough to bruise it.

"I'm growing tired of your callous attitude with Masao-san. Get it together for once, Murasako-baasan!" Jin yelled.

Munehide was surprised of Jin becoming angry. He didn't take note how serious his expression was.

"If I end up hearing Masao getting ill and he's dead..."

Jin went to a nearby rice bag and punched it harshly. The blow caused it to spill the bag's contents out.

"...then you won't like what you'll see me then" Jin said, showing his cold, dark expression.

(Blue Bell OST ends here)

Munehide didn't want to cause a scene but was frightened of Jin. He reluctantly left the room to calm himself down. Munetaka went to the boys to talk with them.

(Play Shiki OST - Pray)

"Forgive me of my father you two. He has been over the edge since Hiromi was ill" Munetaka said.

"All the more reason for me to act like that since he showed a careless attitude to my friend" Jin said.

"Still, I never seen you like this, Jin. What became of you to become so cold like this?" Munetaka asked.

Jin looked at Munetaka's face. He noticed Jin's expression which was full of sorrow.

"Today...is Tohru's funeral" Jin said.

Jin left the house in sorrow. Masao followed along, trying to help comfort him.

'Masao... You're not a self-centered person after all... Otou-san was wrong in spoiling him, yet Jin was able to help break that out of him' Munetaka thought.

######

Outside, Jin was running. Tears were streaming out of his face. Masao followed him, trying to catch up to him.

"Jin, wait up man! Calm down" Masao shouted.

Jin stopped and noticed the funeral happening. Masao noticed it and was worried for him.

(Pray OST ends here)

######

In the funeral home, everyone was mourning. Jin walked inside with Masao following.

'Tamotsu and Aoi-chan are here' Masao thought.

Jin and Masao took notice of the Masao family being quiet. They heard the parents sobbing.

"Everyone... Forgive me for coming suddenly. I came to see Tohru for a final time" Masao said somberly.

Tamotsu and Aoi nodded in response. Natsuno walked in, getting Jin's and Masao's attention.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

"Where's Tohru?" Natsuno asked.

Tamotsu pointed to the coffin, where Tohru's body lied in. Jin, Natsuno and Masao walked up to the coffin. They took note of Shizuko and Mutou, weeping uncontrollably.

The boys looked at coffin with sorrow in their hearts.

"May we see his face?" Jin asked.

"Sure" Mutou said.

Mutou went to the coffin and opened the two small doors that showed Tohru's face. The three boys stared at his corpse, feeling a dreadful sadness encompass them.

'He's but an empty shell' Natsuno thought.

'I wonder where he went' Jin thought.

'I wish there was a way to bring him back' Masao thought.

"Please accept our condolences" Natsuno said while bowing down.

Jin and Masao followed along. The boys don't know what to say or what to express.

"We don't know what we should say at a time like this" Masao said.

"It's frustrating for all of us" Natsuno said.

"So frustrating" Jin followed.

"You three are right... I'm disgusted with myself, and so angry" Mutou answered.

"So are we" Natsuno said.

The three boys left the funeral home, feeling the sadness within them grow. Masao couldn't take it anymore and was mourning quietly, tear shedding. Jin held his emotionless look, but his face was laced with tears.

'Tohru' they all thought.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

#####

In the Mutou household, the three boys were with Tohru's siblings. All of them were depressed.

"Tohru was a good man. He always looked out for his friends" Masao said.

"He was a great guy. He always stayed close to the people he meets" Jin said.

"We often used to fish together at the stream. It was fun times with him. I'll miss those days with Tohru" Masao said somberly.

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

Natsuno remained quiet, not wanting to say anything. This irked Masao a little, but Jin placed his hand on Masao's shoulder.

"We're all mourning, Masao... Even Natsuno" Jin said.

Masao looked at Natsuno and calmed down. He began to realize that Natsuno wasn't a cold person.

"Nothing will help bring him back if we sulk... It's time we keep an eye out for what's happening in the village" Jin said.

"What do you mean?" Natsuno asked.

"I have my suspicions, but this case of anemia is already making me more alert. I'll let you guys know of this in advance. Don't invite anyone in your house during the night. Also, don't bother going out in the late night either" Jin said.

Natsuno and Masao were confused at first, but understood the message.

"I swear... I'll find whatever took Tohru's life... If possible, I want to find whatever's responsible for killing him" Jin said coldly.

Aoi and Tamotsu were surprised of the cold demeanor. They stood up and went to him.

"We can help if we can" Aoi said.

"No, I don't want you two to risk yourselves because of what I'm trying to find. You need to stay alive as long as you can" Jin stated.

"Jin, I'll try to help as well. Masao, you also want to find the real cause for Tohru's death right?" Natsuno said.

Masao nodded in response, feeling determined to find the exact cause.

"Alright, I'll follow along. What do we need to do" Masao asked.

"I need to confirm something from Natsuno and you, Masao. We'll talk about this back in Natsuno's place. My home isn't safe anymore" Jin whispered to Natsuno and Masao

Natsuno was shocked of what he heard.

'Jin, your parents were attacked from a vampire, weren't they?' Natsuno thought in question.

"Alright, I understand" Natsuno said.

######

Natsuno, Jin, and Masao left the Mutou household. They all walked in separate directions.

"Let's head back to our places quickly. It's no longer safe" Jin said.

The boys took off quickly, heading back to their homes.

(Dead Sea OST ends here)

"Jin... If whatever comes up and it gets to me, be sure to provide a peaceful burial for me" Masao said.

Jin placed his hand on Masao's left shoulder.

"I'll make sure you won't die, Masao. You're someone whom I can relate with for Tohru. He would want us to get along with each other" Jin said.

Masao was surprised and slightly moved with tears. The boys walked to the Murasako household. Masao went to open the front door.

"Tch, Otou-san must have locked it when we left to see Tohru. Don't worry, we can head in from the back" Masao said.

"I'll follow along. I don't want you to get afflicted from a disease" Jin said.

Masao and Jin went to the back of the Murasako shopping house. While walking there, they noticed a figure walking, wearing a white, funeral kimono.

"Who was that?" Masao said.

"I don't know, but I got a bad feeling about this" Jin said.

They followed the figure, noticing it going to the back of the house.

"I don't think going in conventionally will be safe. Good thing the drain pipes are sturdy enough for a person to climb on" Jin said.

They suddenly heard bushes rustling near them. Before they had the chance to see what was near them, a flurry of leaves obscured their vision.

(Play Shiki OST - 13th floor)

Masao noticed a figure falling on to him.

'That's Yuzuki-san, the librarian!' He thought in shock.

Jin couldn't move the flurry of leaves surrounding him. He noticed Yuzuki falling near Masao.

"MASAO! LOOK OUT!" Jin yelled.

It was too late. Masao was attacked by Yuzuki. He revealed his teeth, which showed vampiric fangs. Jin heard flesh being torn. The leaves were shaken off and he was able to see what happened. Masao was bitten by Yuzuki.

"MASAO!" Jin yelled.

Yuzuki fled from the area immediately. The Murasako family heard Jin yelling.

"What happened" Munehide asked.

"Masao... He... He was stricken with the same disease" Jin said in a shaking tone.

The Murasako family noticed Masao, looking fatigued and expressionless. He was looking paler than usual.

"Let me set up a futon for him! When did he start getting sick?" Munetaka asked.

"He starting acting sick when we got here...!" Jin revealed.

Munetaka was shocked from what he heard. He quickly placed Masao in his room and in his futon. Munehide remained silent, now realizing the situation.

"Why did you lock the shutters for the front door...?" Jin questioned.

Munehide didn't answer. This made Jin angry.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU LOCK THE SHUTTERS OFF WHEN WE LEFT!?" Jin questioned loudly.

"It's because I'm tired with Masao" Munehide said.

Jin was about to punch Munehide but didn't reach his face. Munehide didn't expect the punch and closed his eyes in response.

"Just forget it... I'm not wasting my time and energy arguing with you" Jin said emotionlessly.

(13th floor OST ends here)

######

It was midnight on Monday, September 19. Megumi went to Natsuno's place and noticed the torn postcard she sent to him.

'Yuuki-kun' Megumi thought.

She went on her knees to examine the torn postcard. She was left in tears upon seeing the pieces. She slowly picked up some of the fragments, examining them.

'Why can't you accept my feelings...? Not even Jin would accept me' Megumi thought.

She walked away from the house, still crying. Her eyes were black while she looked. Upon looking back at Natsuno's place, she turned away with an angered expression. Her pupils glowed red in the dark.

######

In the Murasako household, Toshio and Jin were examining Hiromi. Jin's expression didn't alleviate. He was still expressionless, still in shock.

"Forgive me" Toshio said with sadness.

A wave of sorrow came up to the Murasako family.

"How could this...?" Munehide said in question.

"Hiromi! HIROMI!" Chizuko said in sadness.

Munehide silently mourned, but noticed Jin. It felt as though realization struck him harshly on his heart.

In Masao's room, he was unable to move. His anemia left him bedridden. He couldn't speak nor do anything physically demanding. It felt like his body was turning like a statue.

######

During the evening, Natsuno looked at where he tossed the shredded postcard.

"Just as I thought. She did come here" he said.

He looked at some of the fragments, noticing traces of moisture.

"However, I won't be so killed easily" Natsuno said with determination.

######

During the night of Tuesday, September 20, Masao passed away. No one bothered to find him, leaving him to die alone. In the Kirishiki's mansion, Sunako looked at a cup of blood with a smile.

'The plan is going well and the people don't know it yet. This village, along with Mizobe Town shall become a place where all my kind can roam freely' Sunako thought.

######

During the morning, Toshio and Jin were examining a patient.

"His name is Katou Yoshihide. According to his wife, Katou Sumie, he was bedridden for quite some time" Jin said.

Toshio was concerned for Jin's mental state. He looked worse for wear. Despite that, he was doing his best to help the clinic. He resumed his examination of Yoshihide.

'High heart rate, abnormal rapid breathing, excessive construction of the pupils, and bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of blood... It's the same thing. The bite marks... The infections IS caused by vectors. Jin may have been right, but we don't know whether it was a person biting them yet' Toshio thought.

Sumie began explaining what was happening to him.

"He was bedridden for two to three days. He said he'd be fine if we slept, but now he's like this. Doctor, don't tell me its pneumonia" Sumie said.

"I'll have to draw blood from an artery to know" Toshio said.

"Yes sir" Ritsuko said.

"We don't know the exact cause, so a sample is needed" Toshio answered to Sumie.

"I really thought it was a cold. He also said that to me. So I gave him herbal remedies to help. My mother-in-law taught me how to make it" Sumie said.

This irked Jin and Toshio as the woman explained.

"It was made to revitalize the body, but it didn't work" Sumie said.

"What on earth were you thinking?!" Toshio yelled.

This surprised Sumie, along with the other nurses.

"Cyanosis is occurring! Why didn't you call an ambulance?! On top of that, you have him herbal medicine?! Why would an amateur like you make a diagnosis and give him medicine on your own?!" Toshio yelled.

"Calm the hell down, Toshio-sensei" Jin said coldly.

Toshio heard Jin's voice. It was dark, and cold. To the people around him, it looked as though, the bright and cheerful boy they once knew that helped them, is now fading away.

"Forgive me for the outburst... I was stressed to find out the exact cause of this illness" Toshio said respectfully.

"In any case, we'll call an ambulance and have him taken to the government hospital" Jin said.

######

At the meeting room, the nurses were talking of the sudden yelling from Toshio and the cold stare from Jin.

"I was pretty surprised. I've never seen the doctor yell at an outpatient's family. Plus, Jin's expression was completely opposite of how I saw him" Yuki said.

"Yeah" Kiyomi said.

"I can understand, though" Yasuyo said.

Yuki and Kiyomi looked at Yasuyo, who proceeded to explain.

"The people are becoming worried since there have been so many deaths recently. We have been very busy with all the people coming to the clinic over even the smallest of matters, right? On top of that we have yet to find any preventive means for the epidemic. Plus, these are people that Jin grew up with" Yasuyo explained.

"Well, when someone's that tense, of course one would get upset when told they used herbal medicine from a family teaching" Kiyomi said.

"It really has been getting busy lately. Today's morning consultation hours got extended to this late in the day too" Yuki said.

######

Outside the clinic, Toshio and Jin looked physically and mentally exhausted. They were sitting on the garden bench to relax their thoughts. Seishin arrived and noticed them looking fatigued.

"Is that you, Seishin?" Toshio asked.

Jin looked up and noticed the monk. He bowed in respect to him.

"We're you able to get anything useful from the villagers?" Toshio asked.

"Yes, although I don't know if it had anything to do with this matter" Seishin said, handing a sheet of paper, showing names.

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

Toshio read the names listed on the paper.

"Oota Kenji, Hirosawa Takatoshi, Saeki Akira, Takashima Yasuo, Shimizu Ryuuji, and Ookawa Shigeru... These six people had jobs outside the village, and they all quit prior to death" Seishin said.

"It's rather unrelated to the epidemic. But all of them?" Toshio said.

"There's more. The population is starting to decrease" Seishin said.

"I'm well aware of this, painful as it sounds. Are you teasing me?" Toshio asked.

"No. Not only because of the death count, but there have been people suddenly moving out of the village without notifying their neighbors. Just from what I was able to find out, there were twenty-two families, but no one reported a change of address" Seishin said.

Jin looked at the names. He read them carefully. Toshio looked uninterested, but the facts were slowly becoming truthful.

"So? What of it?" Toshio asked.

"Don't you think it's strange? Even Takami-san, the resident police officer's wife, didn't report it. It's no mistake that something is happening to the village" Seishin said.

Jin remained quiet, listening to the details.

"Isn't the epidemic just one of the phenome-?" Seishin was interrupted by Toshio.

"That's enough already! Who gives a damn about people who left of their own free will?! The epidemic is increasing in momentum! There are more people dying than we could save! And yet you're investigating things that have nothing to do with it!" Toshio yelled.

"Toshio-sensei...! Look, I believe Seishin found a vital clue of this. There may be a way to stop the cause of the epidemic" Jin said.

"How will this provide any help?!" Toshio yelled to Jin.

Jin showed a cold expression on his face.

"I'm as stressed as you are...! For God's sake! Get a grip of yourself for once, sensei!" Jin yelled back.

Toshio was shocked and calmed down.

"Sorry about that, Seishin... I'm just stressed out from handling this epidemic" Toshio said.

Seishin understood and calmly bowed.

"It's okay. Try to relax yourself" Seishin said.

Toshio was angry at himself. He felt uncomfortable of his actions.

'I'm just like him... My father' he thought.

"So, what are you proposing to do?" Toshio asked.

"We'll have to monitor the village to make sure no one has the symptoms or show any signs of refusal. This includes moving out, performing unusual actions etc... This will help provide a chance for us to intervene and treat the patient" Jin said.

Toshio was a bit surprised but he didn't like the idea. It felt too much of a problem than dealing with the clinic alone.

######

Jin was at the Chigusa restaurant, having green tea. He felt his sorrow increase with each sip.

"It feels like one funeral is happening after another. Men and women, young and old... What in the world is happening?" Tae said.

"Toshio and I are still finding the cause. However, we have yet to find out the deaths that have been occurring" Jin said.

"Jin-chan... I hope you're doing okay" Motoko said, hugging him.

Jin was not okay. He tried to hide it, but tears were slowly welling up. Motoko noticed his expression, and hugged him close, trying to relieve him from his pain.

"It's ok, Jin-chan. Don't hide the pain anymore" Motoko said.

Kasumi and Tae watched Jin wailing out his sadness and felt sorry for him. They saw him at Tohru's funeral.

"Its okay, Jin. We're still here" Kasumi said calmly.

"Please... Make sure you keep yourselves safe for the night... I fear for all of you" Jin said.

Kasumi and Motoko didn't understand what Jin meant. He looked at them with his teary eyes.

'It's painful for someone as young as him go through such pain and loss' Yae thought with sympathy.

######

In the hidden church, Seishin was sitting inside, trying to sort his thoughts out. He heard the temple door open, knowing Sunako would be arriving.

"Muroi-san?" Sunako called out.

"Sunako" Seishin said.

"I saw the light from the window of my house, so... Remember the promise?" I brought your book to have you autograph it" Sunako said.

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

Seishin proceeded to autograph the book Sunako brought in.

"This is kind of embarrassing" Seishin said bashfully.

"Thank you. I'll cherish it" Sunako said, walking out of the church.

"Sunako... You shouldn't be going out so much at this time" Seishin said.

Sunako looked back at him, feeling offended.

"Oh, so you are bothered by having your territory violated" Sunako deduced.

"No, that's not it. With your condition, it's easy for you to catch infectious diseases, so..." Seishin said.

"Oh? You checked up on my illness? That makes me happy. But you don't have to worry about it. We have a live-in doctor at home since my mom has the same illness" Sunako said.

"I see. The. Your mother needs to know this as well. I want you to keep it a secret, though. An unidentified illness had been spreading around the village right now" Seishin said.

"Unidentified?" Sunako asked.

"Yeah" Seishin answered.

"Is it a dangerous disease?" Sunako questioned.

"It is" Seishin replied.

"That's terrible... We came here all the way to recuperate, but it's more dangerous than staying in the city, isn't it? These things do happen, though. After I was lucky enough to meet you... Is it alright if I come here once in a while?" Sunako asked.

Seishin didn't realize it, but Sunako was making a fake impression of her being concerned.

"It's not something that requires my permission. But do be careful" Seishin said.

Sunako noticed Seishin's expression looking sullenly

"Are you feeling down again?" She asked.

Seishin took a calming breath to relieve himself.

"Toshio is feeling more down than I am. He's feeling impatient, frustrated, and angry for not being able to save his patients. Plus, a helping person named Jin is also stressed as well. I want to help them somehow. But I can't do much for them. Toshio almost lost it but Jin calmed him down. He has been upset with himself. Normally, he doesn't let himself act like that. That's why it's so heartbreaking" Seishin explained.

Sunako looked at Seishin with sympathy. She placed her right hand on his head to calm his worries.

"Your feelings don't connect, huh? I feel sorry...for both Doctor Ozaki and you, Muroi-san" Seishin said.

(Twilight OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Wednesday, September 21. The day was not pleasant for Jin. He was at the Murasako family house.

"Yes, what seems to be the problem, Jin?" Chizuko asked.

"I'm here to visit Masao" Jin said.

Chizuko led Jin to Masao's room. When he approached the door, he smelled a pungent stench. He opened the door and noticed Masao, dead with a horrified expression. This made Jin more bitter and angry.

"Where the hell is his father and brother?" Jin asked, barely restraining his anger.

Chizuko called Munehide and Munetaka. They came to Masao's room and noticed Jin, restraining his anger.

"Why the hell didn't you call the clinic for him?" Jin questioned.

"He was a spoiled brat and would increase our bills" Munehide said without hesitation.

Jin immediately dashed and uppercut Munehide to the face. Munetaka and Chizuko were surprised of what they saw.

"You bastard! You only killed Masao off because of your carelessness! You're no longer someone whom I can trust ANYMORE!" Jin shouted at the man.

Jin left the house in anger. Munetaka looked at his father with shame. Chizuko also looked at Munehide.

"Jin was a positive influence for Masao... He wanted him to become more mature and understanding. He was starting to, but you killed him off. My own brother, died alone with no treatment and no one to see him" Munetaka said with disgust.

######

In Mizobe Town, Natsuno was at a video store. He found a couple of DVDs relating to vampires.

'This feels rather awkward, but what choice do I have...? The only thing that helps in understanding the circumstances that are happening is to know the common myth of these 'vampires'' Natsuno thought.

He bought the DVD movies and went back to Sotoba.

######

Later in the night, Natsuno went to Tohru's place.

"Good evening" Natsuno said.

"Oh, Natsuno. What is it?" Aoi asked.

"Nothing. Just came by to visit. Where's Tamo-chan?" Natsuno asked.

"I think he's upstairs with Jin" Aoi answered.

Aoi made a sad expression. This got Natsuno's attention when he saw it.

"Did you go to the wake for Masao?" She asked.

Natsuno was surprised of what he heard.

"Masao died...?! Damn it, did the doctor find out what caused his death?" Natsuno asked.

"The doctor couldn't tell, but Masao was left alone in his room" Aoi said.

'Damn it... They had to attack one of us now. I'll find out what are they and I won't let them get away with this' Natsuno thought.

"You're a caring person" Aoi said to him.

"I'm trying to find any answers as to what is happening in Sotoba. I was out in Mizobe, looking in the library" Natsuno said.

Natsuno went to the guest room and proceeded to watch the vampire movies. Tamotsu came by and noticed the number of DVD cases.

"Would someone normally rent a horror movie and watch it a house of a family in mourning?" He asked.

"Would a comedy movie have been better?" Natsuno asked on retort.

Tamotsu read the title on the DVD case.

"'Draculady?' Is that really comedy? You like this kind of stuff?" He questioned to Natsuno.

"No" Natsuno answered.

Jin walked by, noticing Natsuno watching the movie.

"Watching vampire movies, Natsuno...?" Jin asked.

"It's something I need to find out" Natsuno said.

Jin understood what he meant.

"If I'm not interrupting anything, how about dead people coming back to life?" Tamotsu asked.

This got Natsuno's and Jin's attention. Tamotsu noticed their body language, knowing he hit the mark.

"Ah, taking the bait already? We have what are called the "Okiagari" in this village" Tamotsu said.

"'Okiagari'?" Natsuno questioned.

"It roughly translates, 'The Risen'" Tamotsu said.

Natsuno and Jin looked at him with surprise.

"That certainly got your attentions now, huh?" Tamotsu asked.

Natsuno looked away but Jin continued listening to the conversation. This made Tamotsu laugh in response.

"Since we bury the dead in the village, legend says the dead would rise up at night and come to punish children who misbehaved. When I was a kid, if I stayed up late, Dad would scare me by saying 'the Okiagari will come to get you!' Tamotsu said.

This intrigued the boys, now knowing new details. They decided to pay a visit to the folklore library tomorrow.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

Wednesday, September 22. Natsuno and Jin were at the folklore library. They were searching for books regarding about the Okiagari.

'There aren't any books on the Okiagari or vampires at all...' Natsuno thought.

'We may have to search carefully to find what we need' Jin thought.

Both boys were thinking carefully. They then looked at the librarian's office.

"Could it be...?" Natsuno said in sudden thought.

Jin followed Natsuno, behind the librarian's desk. Natsuno opened a drawer to find several slips of paper. All had the name 'Muroi Seishin' written on them since August 28.

"Muroi-san has been reading these books? We should be heading to the village temple to talk with him" Jin said to Natsuno.

######

The temple was a long walk up. The stone staircase was rather long, reaching up to 2/3 of a mountain's height. Both boys were able to climb the staircase, but they were fatigued.

"I'm sure Muroi-san is here. We'll have to find him" Jin said.

Natsuno nodded and proceeded to look around with Jin following along.

"Oh? We have two charming visitors, dear" a woman in an elegant kimono said.

"Hello" Natsuno said.

The boys took notice of two figures at the atrium. They noticed the woman who appeared young for her age. She was wearing an all-black elegant kimono. Her hair was tied up to a ball on the back. Her bangs covered her forehead, giving her an elegant appearance. Near the woman was an elder man. From Jin's understanding, the elderly man was the head monk of the temple. He was bald, but had long facial hair. He couldn't move from his bed at all, due to a spinal injury. The man looked somewhat encumbered by his inability to walk, but kept an aura of serenity.

"That's Muroi Shinmei and Muroi Miwako" Jin said.

"I know you two. You're the son of Yuuki-san who moved into the village last year right? I've seen you a couple of times in the village" Miwako said to Natsuno.

"Next to you is the son of Sora Homuro and Sora Hikari. You're becoming the helper of the village, Jin" Miwako said to Jin.

"Pleased to meet you, Muroi-chan. Um... Do you know where Seishin-san?" Jin asked.

"Oh, you wanted to see him? I'm sorry. He's out on business. I think he'll be back soon. Would you mind waiting a little? Why not have some tea?" Miwako offered.

"Oh. No, thank you, Muroi-chan. He checked out some books we wanted to see from the library, so we stopped by hoping that he'd let us check them quickly" Natsuno responded.

"Oh, so Seishin interfered with two students' studies? He writes novels on the side, so he often checks out lots of library books to use as research material" Miwako said.

"Oh... So he's a novel writer. Maybe one day I would be able to read one his works" Jin said in slight admiration.

"Research material for novels, huh?" Natsuno questioned in surprise.

The boys bowed respectfully to Miwako and Shinmei.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Youth)

It was a cloudy Friday, September 23. The villagers were talking about a recent death. Jin was passing by, hearing them out.

"Hey, I heard that old man Yoshihide of the Katou family passed away last night" an elder female villager said.

"Oh my..." Another elder female said.

"That old man drank a lot and broke down many times, so..." An elder man said.

"I'd better watch out how much I drink, too" a middle aged woman said.

"Still why?" A male elder asked.

"There'll be more and more!" A voice called out.

(Youth OST ends here)

Everyone, including Jin, looked to a red haired elder.

'That's Itou Ikumi-baachan. I wonder why she's here.' Jin thought, drinking a small can of coffee.

"My word... Ikumi-san, you say that every year, don't you?" An elder woman said.

"Kanemasa! The incidents in this village have been happening since they moved here! Those people must have brought this calamity with them!" Ikumi said.

"No way" the elder man said.

"It's true!" Ikumi retorted.

"Despite that, the people at Kanemasa moved in after those people in Yamairi died" a middle aged woman said.

"This all happened ever since that house was built! That place is bad luck! They shouldn't have built that house there!" Ikumi shouted.

Jin didn't shake his head in disbelief. Ikumi inadvertently revealed another clue.

'If I'm correct, the first case started with Megumi when she was ill. She said she visited the house prior to her death. Ikumi-baachan, you have no idea that what you said might help a great deal' Jin thought.

"Well, that house sure is out of place in this village, but..." The elder male said.

"You guys are hopeless!" Ikumi said, walking off.

Jin sighed and started to ride his bike on the way to the Ozaki clinic.

######

Jin arrived at the clinic, taking note of a new patient.

'That's Etsuko Gyouda-san. She must've fallen ill from the anemia epidemic' Jin thought.

Jin took notice of Toshio, looking tired.

"Does Etsuko-san have the same thing?" Ritsuko asked.

"Probably" Toshio said.

"How do we treat her?" Ritsuko questioned.

"Let's provide her with some iron and vitamin supplements. We don't want to use antibiotics too much, so give her small doses. We also need to try a complete blood transfusion. I feel bad for the patient, but at this point, we just have to try a variety of things" Toshio said.

"Yes sir" Ritsuko said.

Jin helped with the IV machine. He applied the blood bag on to the tune to begin the IV therapy.

######

At the lounge, the nurses were discussing of the current events. They were having their lunch.

"I wonder if Gyouda Etsuko-San also has it" Isaki said.

"Yeah, it looked that way, judging by the color of her skin" Yasuyo said.

"It's rather...scary to see it now" Yuki said with worry.

The nurses remained quiet, feeling the threat of the disease becoming more encumbering to them. They eventually heard the phone rang. Ritsuko went and picked up the phone.

"Oh, Takano Fujiyo-san? Didn't you say that you'd take the day off today?" Ritsuko said.

"Yes. Um, is the doctor in?" Fujiyo asked.

"He's currently meeting with someone right now. Would you like me to get him?" Ritsuko replied.

"Um... No, that's okay. Well, would you just tell him that is like to quit my job as of today? I'm sorry to quit when it's busy, but I'm already scared enough from this outbreak. Many people have died one after another... It's making me think I might be the next victim... I just..."

Fujiyo's tone was so frightened, Ritsuko could hear her sobbing in fear. This unnerved her as she listened to Fujiyo.

"The doctor says we'll be fine, but the truth is, we don't know, right? When I dispose of the used instruments, I get dreadfully nervous, worrying about some needles sticking out" Fujiyo said.

"Alright. I'll let the doctor know" Ritsuko said.

The other nurses heard the conversation and were shocked.

######

It was a clear Saturday, September 24. Toshio and Jin were at the Gyouda household. Both looked concerned for Etsuko.

"Etsuko-san, I thought we informed you to come first thing in the morning today" Toshio said.

"Yeah, but I haven't been feeling well today" Etsuko said in an eerily calm tone.

"It's true that you seem a little better, but with your condition, you shouldn't let your guard down. Now, come here. I'll draw some blood" Toshio said.

Etsuko turned around from washing dishes. She had an emotionless look on her face. This unnerved Jin as she got close to Toshio. When she sat down to get her blood drawn from her left arm, he saw the telltale bite marks on her arm. He mentally shook his head to calm himself down.

"Be sure to come in tomorrow. I'll open the clinic at one o'clock" Toshio said.

"But tomorrow's Sunday" Gyouda said.

"Don't worry about it. If you don't come, we'll drop by here again" Jin said.

######

Jin and Toshio were outside, walking.

"We gave her vitamin supplements, blood transfusion, and antibiotics. She recovered from her anemia quickly. The strange thing is, an ordinary person shouldn't recover that quickly" Jin said.

"I noticed. It means we may have a chance to treat the others as well" Toshio

"In any case, I'm gonna pay a visit to the Maeda household. Somehow, I feel concerned for the family" Jin said.

"Alright. You can see them, but don't stay too long. I need your help in some procedures since the nurses have their individual roles" Toshio said.

"I understand, Toshio-sensei" Jin said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

Jin arrived at the Maeda house by bike. He knocked on the door of the Maeda household.

"Excuse me, is Maeda Motoko here?" Jin asked.

"Coming" Motoko said.

Motoko came to the foyer and noted Jin's arrival. Her kids came up to him, following their mother.

"Oh, Maeda Shigeki-chan and Maeda Shihori-chan. How are you two doing?" Jin asked in a calm tone.

"We're doing alright, Onii-chan" Shihori said in a cute manner.

"Nii-san, can you come play with us?" Shigeki asked.

"I'm sorry you two, but I'm pretty busy. I'm helping Ozaki-sensei treat people who were feeling sick" Jin said to the kids.

"Aww... We'll wait till you come back Onii-chan" Shihori said.

"Okay" Jin said.

The kids left outside to play near the house. They managed to catch a dragonfly while playing.

"Look, Onii-chan! Shigeki-nii caught a dragonfly" Shihori said.

Jin took notice and was impressed of the boy.

"That's amazing, Shigeki-chan. Keep practicing so you can catch one for your friends or sister" Jin said.

Motoko giggled, seeing the interaction.

"You're like an older brother figure to this family, Jin-chan. I'm glad that you're with my kids when they were young" Motoko said.

(Crimson OST ends here)

Jin scratched his head while laughing nervously. He noticed a middle aged, but muscular man lying on a basket chair and watching TV. He had a Caesar's haircut style but his hair was white. He was wearing a red, muscle shirt and dark brown pants. He looked fatigued and was ready to fall asleep.

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

'That's Maeda Iwao, Father-in-law of Motoko. I know that he has a brutal personality. People say he's stubborn like an ox' Jin thought.

Motoko noticed his condition and felt concerned for him.

"Um... You don't look so good today. Maybe you should go see the doctor. I heard that people have been getting sick from a summer cold that's spreading" Motoko said.

"Why should I? I'm fine and there's nothing wrong with me" Iwao said in a fatigued tone.

"That's right, Motoko. See for yourself" a woman said.

Jin looked back and noticed an elderly woman with blond hair. She was wearing a pink sweat shirt with blue outlines and black pants. Jin didn't like this woman at all, due to her judgmental, and harsh attitude. He remembered how abusive she was with Motoko, often reassuring her till she was brave enough to stand against her.

'Of all the people I've encountered in Sotoba, Maeda Tomiko is the worst' Jin thought disdainfully.

"He's healthy as a horse. You make a fuss about the littlest things. You're just a timid deer. Heck, you're even scared of your own shadow" Tomiko said.

"Shut up... I'm heading to bed early. Some rest is all that I need" Iwao said.

'I sincerely doubt that... Better inform Toshio about this' Jin thought.

Tomiko looked at Jin and made a rude look at him.

"Is there something that you find unpleasant about me, Maeda-baachan?" Jin asked.

"You, working with the doctor, despite now having a college degree. It sickens me to know that a child like you has an outstanding performance in the clinic" Tomiko said.

"I'm using my knowledge to help the doctors find the cause of the summer cold. Geniuses may be born once in a while, but it depends on how one aspires to be in the future. I don't boast about my intelligence so watch your mouth" Jin said with a hint of anger.

Motoko placed her hand on Jin to calm him down. Tomiko left in disgrace, having been retorted by Jin's explanation.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

"Forgive me of my sudden loss of composure, Maeda-chan" Jin said.

"It's okay. Also, it's fine if you call me Motoko-chan. You have been a familiar figure to the village for the past seven years" Motoko said.

"Thank you, Motoko-chan. Anyway, I should get going. Toshio's waiting for me in the clinic" Jin said.

"Alright, Jin-chan. Be careful out there" Maeda said.

"I will" Jin said, riding his bike to the clinic.

######

It was a breezy Sunday, September 25. Toshio and Jin were impatient, waiting for the call from Etsuko. Reluctant, they decided to call the household.

-Hello, Gyouda residence- a man said.

"Oh, Gyouda Bungo-san. This is Ozaki, calling from the clinic" Toshio said.

-Oh, Waka-sensei- Bungo said.

"Is Etsuko in the house? My partner and I were expecting her to come to the clinic today" Toshio asked.

"No, well... She says she doesn't want to bother you on a non-consultation day, so I thought I'd see how she does and have her see you on Monday" Bungo said.

This irked Toshio. It didn't seem right that she suddenly showed disinterest to the clinic.

"I asked her to come in" Toshio said.

Bungo was surprised but didn't say anything.

"I'll stay at the clinic waiting for her. If she doesn't want to bother me, please come by at the promised time and let me go home soon" Toshio said.

"Alright, Waka-sensei" Bungo said.

Toshio hung up the phone, feeling a sense of dread.

"Jin, I'll allow you to stay over the clinic. I know that your parents feel ill, but I'm sure we can prevent them from dying. I'll bring them to the clinic so they can rest" Toshio said.

"Thanks, sensei. I'll do what I can to help you" Jin said.

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

'Normally, doctors don't have the right to order their patients to come in. It's a breach of a patient's autonomy and privacy. They also don't have the responsibility to supervise villagers' lives' Toshio thought.

######

Monday, September 26. In Natsuno's place, he was making a cross using wood and aluminum strings. He felt somewhat doubtful of the cross he made.

"Will this thing really work?" He asked himself.

He laid down on his futon, trying to understand the situation. Images of Megumi suddenly came to him. This agitated Natsuno, forcing him to pound his futon in anger.

'The Okiagari... I won't let them get me or Jin... We lost two friends already. It's already frustrating enough to know that these 'things' exist. Damn it, I hope Jin is safe out there' Natsuno thought.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

During the night, Jin was heading back to the clinic on bike. While he was riding his way, he heard several bushes rustling in the forest. This got him on edge, forcing him to peddle faster.

'It's that same feeling... Someone's stalking me just like at that time a month ago...!' Jin thought.

He noticed Yuzuki in his funeral kimono going after him.

"No way in hell I'll die from you, you bastard!" Jin yelled.

He pedaled as quickly as he could. Jin noticed several figures in the darkness following along. He was starting to panic, realizing that he was being chased. He quickly made a sharp turn to a nearby road to lose the figures.

'I don't think they lost me yet. Better make sure they don't go after me' he thought.

Jin quickly hid up in a tree, remaining very still like a statue. The leaves masked his scent, allowing him to hide from the Okiagari. He noticed Yuzuki, looking for him.

"That's strange... I thought he was here" Yuzuki said out loud.

"You do realize that you're risking us of being discovered...! Do yourself a favor and stop targeting the kids! This'll alert the village" a female voice said.

Jin noticed a 6 year old girl nearby. Despite her appearance, she sounded mature for her appearance.

'Dang it... This is making things complicated... I hope the wild dogs arrive to distract them' Jin thought.

Much to Jin's luck, the wild dogs were scavenging in the woods. This forced Yuzuki and the young girl to leave the forest. This provided Jin a rough escape, but he made it to the clinic unscathed.

"That was scary...! I was lucky enough to avoid the Okiagari before they could bite me... I need to head in and sleep in the clinic. I can't stay in my house anymore. Hopefully, my parents get transferred in. They're starting to grow sicker" Jin said to himself in worry.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

######

It was a cloudy Tuesday, September 27. Jin and Toshio were examining Iwao, who was dead. Tomiko was wailing of her husband's death. Motoko and her husband, Isami Maeda.

"He hasn't been feeling well?" Toshio asked to Mokoto.

"Yeah. He seemed really exhausted lately" Motoko said.

"Did he seek help?" Toshio questioned.

"No. He said that he wanted to get some rest" Motoko said.

Tomiko immediately looked at the doctor with an irritated look.

"That's right! He's hardly ever been sick in a day of his life! My husband was as strong as an ox! He knew he didn't have health problems in the past!" Tomiko shouted.

"Well, for now we'll diagnose his death via heart failure. However, we're not truly certain without conducting an autopsy" Toshio said.

This made Tomiko angry in a second. She proceeded to argue with the doctor.

"What did you say?! Watch your mouth, young man!" She said, planning to slap Toshio.

Toshio dodged the slap effortlessly, but was almost caught off guard.

"I will not allow you to cut my husband's body!" Tomiko said with conviction.

"That's going to be a problem for the rest of you... If you don't allow us to find the exact cause, you're risking yourself to catch what he had. He didn't seek any medical help 24 hours prior to death. Toshio won't be able to issue a death certificate by then" Jin said coldly.

Toshio was nervous that Jin almost let the idea of the outbreak slip. This however, provided a positive effect of shutting Tomiko's mouth. She reluctantly decided to listen, albeit immaturely.

"Okay, I see now. This is why I hate doctors" Tomiko said.

Jin and Toshio were concerned for the woman's mental state. They knew she would lash out at any moment.

She went to a drawer from a shrine to get her purse out

"So, how much does it cost to get a death certificate these days?" Tomiko questioned.

'She's completely nuts' Jin thought disdainfully.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding" Toshio said.

"That's how it works, doesn't it? I pay additional fee and in return, you write up a death certificate for me" Tomiko said.

Jin and Toshio shocked their heads, losing their composure. They both stood up, keeping quiet. Jin looked at Tomiko with a cold expression.

"You just kept ranting on how healthy your husband was! Healthy people don't drop dead! There was OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM! AREN'T YOU EVEN CURIOUS OF WHAT CAUSED HIS DEATH!?" Jin shouted.

"Why should I be!? What good would it do?! Knowing what killed him won't bring him back!" Tomiko retorted.

Jin sighed to calm himself. He began to provide a reasonable explanation.

"You're right about that... It won't bring him back from the dead... But, IF YOU HAVE TAKEN HIM TO A DOCTOR IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS ARGUMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Jin shouted, causing Tomiko to move away, gasping.

She then looked at Motoko with an insane look. Jin quickly realized she was about to slap her. He quickly grabbed Tomiko's right arm to stop her.

"Don't even think about taking your problems to someone else, you OLD HAG!" Jin said angrily.

He then proceeded to squeeze her arm harshly, bruising her. Toshio and Isami pulled them away before both could break into a fight.

"This all happened because of her! She wouldn't stop nagging at him! She's always worrying about everything and finally too exhausted for him to treat. She's the reason my husband died!" Tomiko said with insanity.

"QUIT BLAMING OTHERS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS CONCERNED! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SENILE PERSON WHO RELISHES ON PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM YOUR ABUSES!" Jin retorted.

Toshio held Jin on a tight leash to prevent him from lashing out. Jin calmed down, but was still angry.

"I've said enough... Isami-san, Motoko-chan... Forgive me for losing my composure like that" Jin said in shame, bowing to the couple.

"It's okay. We didn't expect you to suddenly lash out like that" Isami said.

By then, the kids came in. They worried of what they heard.

"Come now, you two. Let's head to a different spot to play at" Motoko said.

Toshio got a call from his cellphone. It was from the Gyouda household.

"We better head to the Gyouda household, Jin. Let's hurry!" Toshio said.

Jin bowed to the Maeda family and left the house quickly.

######

They were in the Gyouda household, checking on Etsuko. Both showed a melancholy expression, bringing Bungo to tears. Both left the household in complete despair.

"Damn it...!" Jin said.

Toshio was also stressed. He threw off a temper tantrum by punching and kicking the air. Jin wasn't fairing any better. He kept punching and kicking a nearby tree, making his hands bleed from splinters.

"What the hell's going on!?" Jin shouted.

Both of them noticed Natsuno from a distance. They regained their composure, but felt dreadful. Jin and Toshio walked up to Natsuno.

"Hey Natsuno" Jin said with an exhausted tone.

"Hey Jin, Sensei" Natsuno replied.

Toshio began to talk with him.

"Good to see that Jin is friends with you" Toshio said.

"Yes. Anyway, I have a question for you, Sensei" Natsuno said.

"Oh?" Toshio said in surprise.

"It's about Shimizu Megumi. You two examined her, right?" Natsuno asked.

"Yeah. But I was the one who wrote her death certificate" Toshio said.

"Was she really dead? Well, there are sometimes cases of brain death, right?" Natsuno asked.

Jin knew what he was asking. He let Toshio do the talking, preferring to remain silent.

"It wasn't a brain death. Her death was due to acute heart failure. She also showed liver mortis and rigor mortis. If there were even the slightest possibility of her being alive, we would've treated her, even if the family tried to stop us" Toshio answered.

"Then... Then there's absolutely no way that Shimizu-san would come back to life?" Natsuno questioned.

Toshio laughed from the question. Jin knew what Natsuno was asking.

'Natsuno, you thought ahead. Thanks for helping provide the hint to him' Jin thought with a grateful smile.

"If she did come back to life after all this time, she would be either a zombie or a vampire" Toshio said.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Immediately, Toshio got shocked of what he said. Jin smiled, knowing he was somehow understanding what's happening.

'What the hell did I just say?' Toshio thought in question.

"Okay. Sorry for asking such a weird question" Natsuno said, bowing to the doctor before leaving.

"Hey! Why did you come to ask that question?" Toshio asked.

Natsuno stopped in surprise and looked back. He remained quiet for a few seconds till he left. Toshio began to remember the cases of the victims. Various voices, including his own, surged in his head.

"It starts off with anemia. No injuries, save for insect bites. The population of the village is decreasing. There have been many sudden moves. In this village, we still have a custom where we bury the dead. Some families continuously have deaths while others don't. I wonder if it depends on their genetics. The complete blood transfusion was effective?"

All the voices surged in his head, essentially providing the clues he needed. This made him pull out a cigarette to start smoking. He tried to produce a fire from the lighter, but nothing came out. He slowly began to realize the true cause of the outbreak.

'This is...not an epidemic?' Toshio thought in question.

######

At the hill in Kanemasa, two kids were overlooking the Kirishiki mansion. Akira and his sister, Kaori, were watching the place. Akira was armed with a steel baseball bat.

"Did you really see him here?" Kaori asked her brother.

"I told you I saw him wondering here, didn't I?! There's no mistake on whom I knew. It was Yasuyuki from the lumber shop, who should've been dead. I saw him Coke into the Kirishiki residence!" Akira said.

"Yasuyuki-san from the Ootsuka family..." Kaori said.

"The villagers are dying one after another because they're doing something!" Akira suspected.

"Still, I'm afraid of what might happen let's talk to an adult and get their help" Kaori said in a shaking tone.

"I also told you this! The adults wouldn't believe our story, even if we explain it. We have no choice. We have to do this!" Akira said.

Unknown to the siblings, they were being watched by Tatsumi. He heard everything from them and was amused of their vain efforts.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

'I'll commend on their bravery for once. However, they're a threat to all the shiki. I need to kill them off' Tatsumi thought.

He began to sneak his way to the kids. However, he noticed Natsuno and Jin arriving.

'Tch... What timing... No matter, I'll let them live a little longer' Tatsumi thought sadistically.

"Hey" Natsuno called out.

Akira and Kaori were surprised and turned to the source of the voice.

"What are you guys doing here?" Jin asked.

Akira and Kaori moved back to the bushes. Kaori went behind Akira, who was ready to attack. They then noticed Jin and Natsuno. Both calmed down and began explaining.

"U-um, we were..." Kaori said frantically.

"Hmm? I remember you. You're Shimizu's friend, Tanaka Kaori, if I recall" Jin said.

"Uh, y-yes" Kaori said.

Akira looked at his sister, feeling concerned.

"Kaori, who are these guys" Akira asked.

"Come with us" Natsuno said.

They were both surprised but followed Natsuno and Jin.

######

They went at the base of the Kanemasa hill. Natsuno began to explain.

"There was someone watching you two" he said.

This surprised Kaori and Akira.

"We didn't notice the person watching us" Kaori said.

Natsuno looked at Akira with a serious expression.

"What were you doing there?" He questioned.

The siblings remained quiet, but Akira answered.

"Nothing" he lied.

"Carrying a steel baseball bat at this time..." Jin said before pausing.

Natsuno also paused and realized something.

"You guys also had suspicions of the family in that house, do you?" Jin asked.

This got Akira's and Kaori's attention.

"No way... You saw them too?" Akira asked.

Natsuno and Jin nodded. Akira dropped his bat in shock and relief. He went to Jin and dashed at him, crying.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked in surprise.

"You're the first one! There's someone who believes in me! No listened to me! We tried to talk with our parents about the recent and deaths and who was responsible! They didn't believe us at all! I saw it! I saw someone who was supposed to be dead go inside the mansion" Akira explained.

'Knowing Tanaka Yoshikaze and Tanaka Sachiko, they wouldn't. Any ordinary parent wouldn't believe their kids saying something like this' Jin thought.

"Calm down. In any case, we can't speak out here" Natsuno said.

"You're right" Akira said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

The group arrived at the sacred springs of the village. Natsuno began explaining to the Tanaka siblings on the information he found with Jin.

"The people refer to them as the Okiagari, right?" Natsuno asked.

"Eh?" Akira said in confusion.

"In this village, that term is used to refer on those who died and suddenly come back to life from the grave, right?" Natsuno said.

"That's right, the Okiagari! Yasuyuki from the lumber shop died in August. He didn't seem like the Yasuyuki I knew. He was always nice to us, so there's no way I'd confuse him with someone. His eyes... They were black with a dull red glow on them" Akira said.

"Jin and I saw Shimizu" Natsuno said.

"What?! Megumi is back from the grave?" Akira asked in surprise.

"No way... Before she died, Megumi-chan told me she saw Kirishiki-okusan. Even Yasuyuki-san" Kaori said.

This caused Kaori to gasp and hyperventilate. Jin quickly leaned down and supported her.

"Take deep breaths... Don't let yourself pass out, Kaori" Jin said.

Kaori was able to calm herself down.

"But even so..." Kaori couldn't continue, feeling uncertain.

"I had another encounter with one of them. More specifically, the former librarian, Yuzuki" Jin revealed.

Natsuno, Akira and Kaori were shocked of what they heard.

"What happened?" Akira asked.

"Masao and I were walking out from Tohru's place and heading to the Murasako household. The moment we went to the back door, Yuzuki suddenly attacked us. We tried to run away, but Masao was caught and bitten. I saw him collapse and ran while Yuzuki chased me down. He...killed my friend" Jin in a shiver.

"God... That sounds worse than seeing Megumi" Natsuno said in shock.

"That's not all... During the night, when I was often heading back to my home, I often felt someone stalking me. The feeling was unusual, not to mention creepy. Each time I head to my place, I was lucky enough to evade whatever was stalking me. However, I had a brief glimpse of what I saw. It was Kirishiki-okusan, trying to attack me" Jin said.

The gang now realized that Jin had more horrifying experiences than Natsuno, Akira, and Kaori combined.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Natsuno questioned.

"You wouldn't believe me if I said 'I have a bunch of vampires stalking me down' would you?" Jin retorted.

"Good point there... We'll have to find out for sure" Natsuno said.

"Meaning?" Jin asked.

"We'll have to dig up Shimizu's grave" Natsuno declared.

"What?!" The siblings said in unison.

"Natsuno's right. We'll know from then on whether she has risen or not" Jin said.

"You're right about that, Jin-niichan, Natsuno-niichan! We should do that!" Akira said.

The group was being watched by Tatsumi. He now realized that Jin and Natsuno were aware of the threat since the start.

"Hah!" He said in mock laughter.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

It was midnight on Wednesday, September 28. Masao woke up in a flower field. He took notice of several lotus plants on the ground he was laying on.

'Is this heaven...?' He thought.

He slowly realized that he was alive. His vision shifted to a dark, enclosed space with dead lotus plants.

'What the hell...?! I'm supposed to be dead! How am I still alive' Masao thought.

He proceeded to bang on the coffin roof, trying to find a way to get out. He was trying to yell, but he couldn't make a sound. He realized that he wasn't breathing from his lungs.

'This isn't right...! What could have caused me to suddenly rise up from the dead...?! Am I an Okiagari?' Masao thought frantically.

Masao kept banging on the coffin. He was making gurgling sounds, trying to scream.

'I remember now...! That librarian... He attacked me each night, draining my blood... Yuzuki... That bastard kept biting me till I was sucked dry of my blood' Masao thought.

By then, he heard the dirt being shoveled. He remained quiet, not knowing what is happening. The coffin opened, revealing Tatsumi with a rolled up, periwinkle shirt and pants.

'Who is this guy?!' Masao thought.

"Hi! You lost your voice, right? Don't worry. There's a trick to talk. When you speak, do I like you're breathing" Tatsumi said in a friendly manner.

Masao then realized something. He wasn't breathing at all.

'I'm not breathing... But how...?' Masao thought in shock.

"Don't worry, Murasako Masao-kun. You'll get used to it soon. Here" Tatsumi said, helping Masao out of his grave.

Masao was brought out of his grave. When he looked down, he realized that he was truly buried. This made him panic.

"Calm down!" Tatsumi said.

Masao stopped and felt dreadful of his current state. He looked at Tatsumi with despondence.

"That's right! That was your grave you rose out from. You...were dead" Tatsumi revealed, shocking Masao.

"I died?" Masao struggled with each gurgle.

Masao was unable to comprehend his sudden resurrection. It almost induced him in a panic attack. Tatsumi placed a reassuring hand on Masao's right shoulder.

"Like I said, calm down and listen to me. You came back to life" Tatsumi said.

"Came back? I'm one of the Okiagari?" Masao said in shock.

"Sounds like that's what you call it in this village. You came back to life, though you're no longer a human" Tatsumi revealed, shoveling the dirt to hide the grave.

"The Okiagari?!" Masao said.

Masao began to shake violently, trying to adjust to his current nature. It felt too foreign for him. This made Tatsumi sigh in response.

"Would you prefer to go back in your grave? It's not like everyone comes back to life, you know" Tatsumi said.

Masao remained silent, not intending to answer. He was despondent of his current form.

"I'm afraid that your nephew, Murasako Hiromi, didn't come back to life" Tatsumi said.

"What?!" Masao asked.

"You can smell the sweet scent of decomposition in the air, right?" Tatsumi said.

"Hiromi died... What about the others that the Okiagari killed?" Masao asked.

"Only a select few people can come back to life. In other words, your special" Tatsumi said.

"Special?" Masao questioned.

"That's right. You are now our precious friend" Tatsumi said.

'Friend...? How can I consider him a friend after what they have done?' Masao thought.

"But listen, Masao-kun. Although you won't die from illness or age, that doesn't mean you're invincible" Tatsumi said, fully covering the grave up and placing the tombstone.

"If you get decapitated or get staked through the heart, it'll kill you. But would anyone actually do things like that?" He questioned to Masao, who shook his head reluctantly.

'Only if you realize that you'll make the people fight back. Jin, I can't be present near you now... Please forgive me for coming back as an Okiagari' Masao thought.

"Also, you're vulnerable to sunlight. If you're exposed to it, you'll be burned like candle wax and die after a while" Tatsumi said, shocking Masao.

"That's right. If you stay here until morning, you'll be burned to death" Tatsumi revealed.

"Then, where am I supposed to go?" Masao questioned.

"That's why I'm here" Tatsumi said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

In Yamairi, Masao and Tatsumi were at an empty house.

"Yamairi?" Masao questioned.

"Yes. You'll go to sleep at dawn and wake up at sunset. The sleep is very deep, almost coma-like. You won't be able to fight against it, so it leaves you vulnerable. You'll know what k mean when morning comes" Tatsumi explained.

He led Masao in a different room for him to sleep at.

"You'll be okay sleeping in here. Also, what's important is nourishment. If you don't feed, you'll die from starvation. The only form of sustenance is human blood" Tatsumi said with a smirk.

'Blood?! No way would I want to feed on someone's blood...! That means, I'm already a vampiric being' Masao thought.

"You can call ourselves whatever you like... Bloodsuckers, vampires, nightwalkers etc..." Tatsumi said.

"Are you telling me to freely attack people for sustenance?!" Masao questioned with anger.

"Yes, that's what I'm implying. But it's nothing to be concerned about, right? It's no different than humans killing animals to eat them" Tatsumi said, attempting to brainwash him.

Masao looked at him with mild surprise.

"You've eaten beef and pork, right?" Tatsumi asked.

Masao didn't answer, knowing that Tatsumi would attempt to brainwash him.

"This is needed for survival. Care to give it a try?" Tatsumi said.

Tatsumi opened a door to a mid-sized room. Masao saw a young boy that was kidnapped from Sotoba. His Shiki instincts started to kick in, but he was repulsed of what he was doing. He moved back, not wanting to bite him.

"Who is that?" Masao asked.

"You don't need to know. When you feed on him, he'll die. We weakened him for that purpose" Tatsumi said with a hint of sadism.

"I refuse to drink from a human..." Masao said.

Tatsumi looked at him with a serious expression.

"Do you just want to leave? The moment you do, morning will come and you'll fall asleep. This will leave you vulnerable as the sunlight will burn your flesh till you die" Tatsumi said.

Masao struggled with his thoughts. He didn't want to attack the boy, but he was concerned of not informing Jin what he heard. Tatsumi started to walk up to him.

"I told you that you're our precious friend, didn't I? How do you think the others would feel if you acted however you please?" Tatsumi asked at Masao's face.

Masao couldn't answer from the intense stare. He held his ground from Tatsumi.

"I happen to be exceptional, even among our people. I can stay awake during the day, and can go out in the sun with no ill effects. I might throw you outside after you go to sleep. I might even stake your heart or decapitate you" Tatsumi said, his eyes glowing red.

This made Masao lose his ground. He collapsed, feeling despondent of the situation.

"Well, it means that you can't be selfish like humans forever" Tatsumi said in a calm tone.

Masao felt guilt-ridden. He didn't want to hunt humans down.

"Take a look over there. You see that glass in the corner of the room? This happens to everyone. It takes a bit of courage to attack your first victim, so it's okay for you to choose that, too" Tatsumi said in encouragement.

He then pushed Masao to the unconscious boy. Masao looked back at Tatsumi who watched.

"Don't worry. As long as you follow my instructions, everything will be fine. You have the privilege to kill" Tatsumi said, closing the shoji.

Masao looked at the kid and struggled. His Shiki instincts took over, forcing the sclera of his eyes to become black. His pupils turned blood red, which glowed in the dark. He didn't attack the kid. He chose the cup of blood. He drank about 1/4 of its contents.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Thursday, September 29. In the clinic, a new patient arrived.

"Sensei! Waka-Sensei! Setsuko is..." Tokujirou said.

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

"Tokujirou-baasan, bring her here" Jin said.

Toshio brought Setsuko's prone form to the bed. She looked weak and terrible. He and Toshio provided space to Tokujirou.

'Nao, Susumu, Mikiyasu, and now, even Setsuko...' Tokujirou thought.

"How could this keep happening, Waka-Sensei? Toshio-kun, Jin-kun... Please be honest with me. What is happening in this village?!" He questioned them.

Toshio stood up, albeit in an exhausted way.

"Tokujirou-san, I'm thinking of having Setsuko-san stay at the clinic" Toshio said.

"Stay at the clinic?" Tokujirou said in question.

"Don't worry. We plan to protect Setsuko-san" Jin said.

######

It was Friday, September 30. At the Tanaka household, Akira and Kaori brought a couple of garden spades.

"Where are you guys going?" Their mother, Sachiko, asked.

The Tanaka siblings quickly hid the spades behind their backs.

"W-we're heading out" Akira said.

"Be sure to come home soon, okay? I have to attend funeral duty tonight. Be sure to stay home while I'm gone" Sachiko said.

"Funeral duty? Did someone else die?" Kaori asked.

"Old lady Motohashi Tsuruko" Sachiko said.

The siblings looked at each other, unable to say anything.

"I'm getting called out on business like this all the time lately" Sachiko complained.

######

Outside, Akira was in a good mood, humming a song in an amusing manner and walking like a soldier in a funny way. This irritated his sister.

"Oi Akira. Why are you in such a good mood all of a sudden?" His sister asked.

"Huh? Why else?! They'll know we're right eventually!" Akira said.

Kaori stopped walking for a second.

"On second thought, we shouldn't do this" Kaori said, making Akira groan.

"I'm sure Natsuno-san and Jin-san will change their minds too" Kaori reasoned.

This made Akira groan louder.

"We shouldn't do things like this" Kaori reprimanded.

"Listen to yourself, Kaori... What has gotten into you? We're not a kid anymore" Akira retorted.

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

"Of course we're kids! Especially Natsuno-san and Jin-san. Both of them are a year older than us. Believing in vampires or the Okiagari is childish to start with, right? For a stupid reason like that, I can't... I can't mess with Megumi-chan's grave. She was my friend!" Kaori said.

"It's no stupid reason. Jin said it himself. He saw more than just one of them. He had close encounters with some when he was heading back home" Akira said.

Kaori stopped and realized what she said. She felt terrible upon thinking of it.

"Natsuno-niichan and Jin-niichan will be there. We'll need proof to let everyone know! If you're acting like a coward, by all means, head back home! I'll be helping them" Akira scolded to his sister.

######

At the Ozaki clinic, Toshio was with Seishin. Toshio's mother was also there. Jin was also present with them.

'I didn't think Ozaki Takae would show up here. Either way, I need to help the clinic. No time for distractions' Jin thought.

"About what happened the other day...? I'm sorry for my sudden anger" Toshio apologized to Seishin.

"Don't worry about it. Was there something you want to talk about?" Seishin asked.

"Yes" Toshio said.

"I also have something I want to tell you, too. Can I go first?" Seishin asked.

"Sure. What is it?" Toshio responded.

(Blue Bell OST ends here)

Jin was listening to the conversation. He decided to find more information of the village.

"Ishida-san from the village office went missing. Prior to his disappearance, he told me that recent death reports and forms were all missing from the office. Now we won't be able to let the people outside the village know about the numerous deaths here" Seishin said.

'Ishida-san went missing...?! This is going out of control... Those Okiagari are going to pay for this' Jin thought with anger.

"Oh, I see. That's the situation" Toshio said.

"Do you understand what this means? As it stands, we won't be able to involve the local government in this case" Seishin said.

"Well, forget about the epidemic" Toshio said.

"Toshio..." Seishin said in surprise.

"Say, Seishin. At some point, you wrote in an essay that this village is surrounded by death, right?" Toshio asked.

"What's this about, all of a sudden?" Seishin questioned.

"I think...that's the state this place is in right now. It's like the momi firs that symbolize death in this village are trying to swallow everything, don't you think?"

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

"What are you trying to say exactly?" Seishin questioned.

"I think I've found the answer to these mysterious deaths" Toshio said.

"He's right. About time you finally understand, Sensei" Jin said.

"You knew all this time?!" Toshio asked in surprise.

"You didn't consider my theory of the case" Jin retorted.

"Well said... Anyway, there were various symptoms, starting with anemia. Pale skin and lethargy were evident. Cold sweat was being exuded from their skin. The pulse is hard to detect but it's rapid and the heart rate is fast. In the end, multiple organ failure follows, leading to death. I was so obsessed with the idea of an epidemic that I overlooked the idea of hemorrhagic shock" Toshio explained.

"But you said there were no external injuries or internal bleeding" Seishin said.

"Oh, there were. Marks that look like insect bites at first glance. But, according to Jin, they're not made from insects. Not even the Japanese mountain leech can make the same shape. It sounds farfetched, but I believe it's the Okiagari" Toshio said.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Like a shockwave, Seishin was shocked from the sudden revelation. He quickly sat down in shock, trying to cope with the strain.

"Toshio... That can't be right" Seishin said in shock.

Toshio lit his cigarette. He was also stressed of the revelation.

"The Okiagari... You can call them vampires, too. By just accepting such an absurd existence, we can deduce all the answers from here" Toshio said.

"Wait..." Seishin said.

"Dying from hemorrhagic shock is one thing, but no disease would force people to quit their jobs or move out so suddenly. It's likely they possess a hypnotic effect on their victims, telling them to move or quit their jobs to hide their existence. This is also used to hide the mortality rate, so it won't go up. It's possible for the Okiagari to do this" Jin explained.

"Toshio..." Seishin said.

"You have more knowledge of the occult than both of us, Seishin" Toshio said.

"That's not the point" Seishin said.

"You have a better explanation then?" Jin asked.

Seishin didn't respond. He remained quiet.

"Then, let's find out" Toshio said.

"How?" Seishin questioned.

"For now, we'll assume the Okiagari exist" Jin said.

"Right now, we have Yasumori Setsuko staying at the clinic right now. We decided to protect her by keeping a night watch in her for a while. They'll come out at night. If things go well, we might discover or capture the enemy. Seishin, please help us with this" Toshio said.

Seishin remained silent for a bit.

"Let me think about it a bit" Seishin said.

By then, an alarm blared from Jin's stopwatch.

"Toshio, I'm heading out to see Natsuno. Think you can handle the clinic from here?" Jin asked.

"Yes, I can take it from here. Come back during the night, alright?" Toshio said.

######

Jin arrived at the meeting point, where Natsuno was waiting.

"Good to see that you came here, Jin" Natsuno said.

"Likewise" Jin replied.

Akira and Kaori arrived at the spot.

"Natsuno-niichan, Jin-niichan" Akira said.

"Good, you all made it" Natsuno said.

"Of course!" Akira said with enthusiasm.

"Jin, take one of these" Natsuno said, handing Jin a shovel.

"Okay, this is good for me" Jin said.

"You too" Natsuno said to Kaori, handing her a weeding hoe.

"You guys know where Shimizu's grave is, right?" Natsuno asked.

"Yes, but..." Kaori said nervously.

"Let's go. We can't back down from this after seeing what's happening here. We have to find out the real truth" Jin said.

######

On the way to the grave, the sun was starting to set.

"Hey Natsuno-niichan, Jin-niichan. Won't it look suspicious with threnody is carrying things like these?" Akira asked.

"Just act confident. They'll believe what they see" Jin said.

The siblings were confused at first till Natsuno explained.

"If you act like you're going to help dig a grave, no one would pay it any mind" Natsuno said.

"I see! You two know your ways. It's amazing" Akira said.

Kaori remained quiet, remembering Megumi's funeral.

'This is the path the funeral services carried Megumi's coffin through. The path that the adults took to being Megumi to a dark pit...' Kaori thought with hidden fear.

The group arrived at Megumi's grave. Natsuno and Jin began to put on their shovel gloves.

"A-Are we really going to do this?" Kaori asked with surprise.

Jin nodded and finished equipping his shovel gloves. Kaori gasped, staring at the grave. She felt a sickening feeling in her stomach.

'Megumi is down there...' She thought.

"Here we go" Jin said.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

Kaori began to imagine seeing Megumi's decaying corpse in the coffin.

"No!" She said, losing her balance.

Kaori fell on to the ground and noticed a small gift box.

"This is..." Kaori said.

"What's that?" Natsuno asked.

"This was the birthday gift that I got for Megumj. It was on her coffin when she was buried. She wanted to go to college in a big city, so I got her a good luck charm. Why is this here?" Kaori questioned, holding the omamori on her hand.

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

"It means someone may have dug this grave up already" Jin said.

"Then Megumi really did..." Kaori said, leaving the sentence open for an answer.

"Come on! We can't stay here when the nighttime hits" Natsuno said.

Jin nodded his head and began digging. Akira followed along, feeling determined.

"Akira, wait" Kaori said.

"I'll help" Akira said.

"Megumi, forgive me!" He said.

Kaori watched as the three boys were digging the grave up. She then picked up the weeding hoe to help them even the dirt.

######

Dusk was coming, providing little time for the group. They kept digging in the grave, despite how much time has passed.

"It sure is deep. Kaori! Be sure to even the dirt out so it won't fall back in, please" Akira said.

"Don't be bossing around" Kaori said to her brother.

By then, Jin and Natsuno felt a solid mass. The shovel made a 'thunk' sound, indicating they hit the coffin.

"Did you two hit the coffin?" Akira asked.

"It sounds like it. We're almost there. We need to speed up before the sun sets" Jin said.

######

Night has fallen. The group managed to reach the coffin, finding the doors that reveal the face. Unknown to them, someone was watching them.

"Alright, we've dug enough to force it open" Natsuno said.

"Yeah. At any rate. The cover usually gets nailed shut, right?" Akira asked.

"That figures. We suspected as much" Natsuno said.

"Natsuno-niichan, Jin-niichan" Akira said.

"Wait a minute!" Kaori said in surprise.

"We're gonna open the cover!" Natsuno and Jin said.

Akira and Kaori were feeling queasy but Akira was ready to see what was inside. The moment Jin and Natsuno opened the coffin lid, Kaori closed her eyes in shock.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

"It's empty" Akira said in shock.

True to Akira's words, there was nothing inside, save for the dried up lotus flowers. There was an indent of a human figure in the middle, indicating laid there.

"Looks like we're right all along" Jin said.

Kaori opened her eyes and noticed the empty coffin.

"Now we know. Shimizu has returned from the grave" Natsuno said.

"No way... That's impossible. Megumi-chan..." Kaori said in disbelief.

The group's guard was low, causing the figure watching them to attack. The figure snaked its hands on Kaori's mouth, preventing her from screaming. Natsuno, Jin and Akira noticed.

"What's wrong?" Natsuno asked.

Jin realized that Kaori was being dragged away! He rushed to her while Natsuno and Akira followed.

"Kaori! Give her back!" Jin shouted.

'What? What is happening?! Is this a person? The skin feels cold like ice' Kaori thought.

Jin raced his way to Kaori's position. He noticed a shadowy figure with red, glowing eyes. It was about to bite Kaori's neck. She saw the fangs in plain sight.

'Oh no!' She thought in panic.

She reached out in her pocket and pulled out the omamori from her pocket.

'Please help me, Megumi-chan' Kaori thought in desperation.

The figure released Kaori upon seeing the omamori. A male voice sounded out, which sound frightened.

"Get down!" Jin shouted.

Jin swung his shovel on the man's head. Upon seeing the figure, he was shocked of what he saw.

"Guys, are you two alright!?" Natsuno asked.

"Y-yeah" Kaori answered.

"What's with that guy?" Akira asked.

Jin went to his nose and mouth to check for breathing. He was shocked of who the person is.

'That's Hirosawa Takatoshi...! He was supposed to be dead!' Jin thought in surprise.

"He isn't breathing. This guy wasn't breathing at all. Plus, his skin feels cold" Jin said.

"What?!" Akira asked.

"This man is Hirosawa Takatoshi. He has been dead this whole time, yet now he became an Okiagari" Jin said.

"D-Did you kill him?" Akira asked in a frighten tone.

"I don't think so. He appears to be knocked unconscious" Jin said.

"Still, you saved Kaori. Thanks, JIN-niichan" Akira said

"No problem. The only thing we need to do is hide him" Jin said.

Natsuno and Jin began dragging the body to Megumi's grave.

"Hey, you shouldn't do that! What are you two thinking?!" Kaori asked.

"This body has no body heat the moment it attacked you, Kaori. If Hirosawa-san was still alive, the body heat would still be present" Natsuno said.

"His hand was cold when he grabbed me" Kaori said.

"I told you all... He's an Okiagari" Jin said.

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

"He appears to be like a regular person no different from us, except his skin. It looks pasty white" Kaori said.

"Again, if he was still alive, there would be body heat and breathing present. Hirosawa-san didn't exhibit those signs" Natsuno said.

"Does that mean he might start moving again?" Akira asked.

"It probably might be the case... Let's throw him in Shimizu's grave" Natsuno said.

"Are you sure?" Kaori asked.

"We'll come back here again, tomorrow. Even if someone finds it, as long as they don't know we were all here, it'll be fine. Plus, if he's still moving, then he would leave the grave by then" Jin said.

"We're all scared of what we did just now. However, this is probably something that need to be done. Unless someone does it, this village will meet its end" Natsuno said.

"Let's take care of this" Jin said.

The group dragged the body to the grave. It was an arduous task but the group dragged Takatoshi to Megumi's grave. They partially buried him.

"That should do" Natsuno said.

"But he isn't completely buried yet" Akira said.

"Precisely. If he's an Okiagari, it's be better if he's found by the adults. Everyone will then realize what is happening in the village" Jin said.

"I see... You're right" Akira said.

"Let's all head home. We'll come here first thing tomorrow morning. Try to relax yourselves and get a good night's sleep" Natsuno said.

"Yeah" Akira said.

Kaori looked at Takotashi's unconscious form. She then shivered and ran back to her brother.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

######

In the Tanaka household, Akira and Kaori were too nervous to sleep.

'How are we supposed to get a goodnight's sleep after what we saw?' Akira thought.

By then, he heard wood creaking outside from his bedroom door. It frightened him to the point that he was scared stiff. In his imagination, he was seeing one of the Okiagari, glowing red eyes in the dark. Truthfully, it was his sister, who was also scared stiff.

"Akira, I'm too scared to sleep. Can I sleep with you?" Kaori asked.

Kaori didn't see his brother, for he was trying to hide from whoever came in his room. This frightened Kaori, not seeing her brother.

"Akira?" She said with fear.

She heard rustling from the bed, making her gasp and move back. It was her brother, wielding his steel baseball bat.

"Geez, Kaori... Don't scare me like that" Akira said in relief.

"W-Who do you think it was?" Kaori asked.

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

The siblings were on the same bed.

"I wonder if it's okay" Kaori said.

"What is?" Akira asked.

"That man... All we did was cover him with a little dirt" Kaori said.

"Natsuno-niichan and Jin-niichan said that it's be better if the guy was found, right?" Akira questioned.

"What if he wasn't found?" Kaori asked.

"What?" Akira said, looking at Kaori.

"What if he leaves that place and nobody finds him?" Kaori questioned.

Akira remained for a few seconds silent, unable to answer his sister's question.

"I... I'll try telling my classmates the next time I go to school" Akira said.

"I wonder if they'll believe you" Kaori said.

"I'm not certain. But I have to try telling them" Akira said.

######

Back in Natsuno's place, Natsuno wasn't faring much either. He remembered seeing the person's face after seeing Jin knocking him down. His hands began shaking.

'The feeling that remains in my hands... It no longer matters whether Hirosawa-san was dead from the start or not' Natsuno thought.

His hand continued shaking throughout the night.

(Blue Bell OST ends here)

######

In the Ozaki clinic, Jin's hands were shaking uncontrollably.

'That time when I felt Hirosawa's skin... It was cold as snow. I wonder if I'll end up like one of them. I'm already afraid enough of turning into one of them' Jin thought.

His hands continued shaking, causing a heavy chill to encompass his body.

######

Takatoshi's body remained unconscious for several minutes. His fingers began to move, bringing him back to consciousness. His irises began glowing red in the night. Be rose from the grave site and felt his head.

'Those brats...' Takatoshi thought in disdain.

He then left the area, concealing any evidence of his presence.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Sunako was at the monastery with Seishin. She was wearing an all-black dress with a red rose in the middle of the chest.

"Absolute solitude... Those who are unfairly discriminated against... The pain of being forsaken by God..." Sunako said.

"What are you talking about, Sunako?" Seishin asked.

"It's about your novels, Muroi-san" Sunako said.

"My novels?" Seishin asked.

"That's right. They're the same phrases you used constantly in your novels. After reading your books, I felt that the author may have also felt lonely. He seems like someone who has been forsaken by God. But it's strange... Why?" She asked.

Seishin looked at her curiously.

"Your stories are all like that, but you don't look like someone forsaken by God. Why?" She asked.

"Well, I don't know" Seishin answered.

"Right now, you do look a little like that" Sunako said.

"I do?" Seishin questioned.

Sunako remained quiet for a few seconds film she asked a question.

"What are you concerned about? What about me causes your concern?" Sunako asked.

"Your condition, Sunako" Seishin said.

"Why? Because I'm worried about you" Seishin said.

"Even if you're concerned, my illness won't be cured. I'm all right. See? I can talk to you like this, can't I?" Sunako said.

"In my eyes, you look very lonely. You look as though you have been isolated by the world of the night" Seishin said.

"Yeah... You might be right. The pain of being forsaken by God... You may be right" Sunako said somberly.

Seishin was surprised of the response. He remained silent, not wanting to say anything.

######

The magic screen disappeared and Ruby was tired. Everyone was now showing sad looks, but none were more sorrowful than Mizore, who hugged Jin.

"Take a rest, Ruby. We'll need you to cast the magic screen by night" Jin said.

"My God... You had to go through that many deaths, despite helping the clinic" Tsukune said.

"How cruel of them... Causing all those deaths. That guy, Tatsumi... No wonder you have such hate against him. He's only enticing the newly created to embrace the sadistic nature of vampires" Gin said.

"What a heartbreaking story" Moka said painfully.

Her Rosario shined, causing the jewel to morph into a cat's eye.

 **"Now I'm understanding why he holds such resentment... He has been fighting off his nature because of his disdain of becoming one. He lost a couple of friends that meant a lot to him. Those creatures have made him become what he is now"** Inner Moka said.

"It was like a nightmare, even for me... I don't think I would want to experience something like that" Kurumu said.

Yukari remained silent, feeling sad, but also frightened of the memories.

"It gets worse... That's the second part of the memories of Sotoba. The third part might shock you more. When nighttime hits, Ruby will create the next series of memories" Jin said.

"These...scenarios... Are they going to get worse, nya?" Shizuka asked.

"They will. October was the month that will involve a deep scar for me" Jin said.

Mizore hugged Jin, crying in sympathy for him.

"I never thought of you as the medical prodigy though" Gin said.

"I'm still am... I never showed it" Jin retorted.

Yukari walked up to Jin and hugged him close. She was crying after seeing the memories.

"It's okay, Yukari-chan" Jin said.

That's all from here. Be prepared for the next chapter, for this will be difficult for me to write it.

Please note that Masao's character change was intentional.

Also, I'm trying my best to write on this fanfic due to some events from episode 21.5 being mixed in.


End file.
